Dalton Academy for Girls
by stripper girl drunk
Summary: Rachel has had it with the bullying she endures daily at McKinley High, and decides to transfer to start anew. The glee club kids are shocked, but one blonde cheerleader makes it her misson to get the brunette back. Faberry.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes: This is a story idea that I took from the glee_fluff_meme. I intended for it to be a fluffy story with Quinn and Rachel as the protagonists, but I just couldn't do it. It's going to be full of angst, because you know what? Rachel went through a lot of shit, and I'm not going to try and mask that. This will be angst, with some fluff along the way. It _will_ be a Faberry story, with side Brittana (because I just couldn't resist), but it will develop into such at a slow pace. It's going to be a bumpy road, but I hope you'll share it with me. I own nothing.**

**...One more small thing. Some of you might notice the absence of a certain character, but don't you worry. I have big plans for her.**

Story Summary: Rachel has had it with the bullying she endures daily at McKinley High, and decides to transfer to start anew. When New Directions gets word of this, the shock of what they've truly lost has set in, and one blonde cheerleader makes it her mission to win the brunette back.

Everyone has their breaking point.

I spent so much time trying to prove to myself otherwise. I tried to tell myself that I was a strong individual who would _not_ under _any_ circumstances give in to the continuous stream of rude remarks directed at me on a day to day basis. I mean, they were just words, right? People often said and did things that were completely unlike them, simply for the attention it won them from their peers. After all, this is high school we're talking about. This is the time when everyone is still trying to figure out who they are, who they want to be, and who they will become. It is a confusing time for many people.

Personally, I've always known who I am, who I want to be, and who I will become.

A star.

I know what people say behind my back when they think that I can't hear them. I'm full of myself, I'm destined to fail. I was born a nobody, and a nobody I shall stay. But they're wrong, I can tell you that much. I have worked incredibly hard for everything that I have achieved. Every medal, every trophy, every plaque. I will let nothing stand in the way of my dreams.

Let them use their cruel words when they know I'm in earshot. I'll do what I have always done; I'll endure. I'll pretend to have heard nothing. When they intentionally bump into me and knock my books out of my hands, I'll pick them up with a smile on my face, telling myself that it was clearly an accident on their part. When they make fun of my clothing, I'll tell myself it's simply because they're jealous that they didn't think of it first. When they tell me that no one will ever love me because of who I am, I'll smile politely and walk down the hallway, trying to hide the tears that make their way down my face.

Enduring is what I do best. I endure their cruelties five days out of the week; I've definitely mastered the art. Each day I pretend that I'm not torn apart by the things they say; they're just words. But what they don't seem to understand is that their 'just words' have consequences. It hurts me more than I could ever voice, and I don't know how much more I can take. Seconds turn in to minutes, minutes in to hours. Hours turn into days, days in to weeks. All this time, I've endured. But everyone has their breaking point, and I recall the exact moment in time that I reached mine.

...GLEE.

"Shove it, man-hands. We aren't singing that shitty song, and that's that. I think I speak for everybody when I say sit the eff down."

We were all gathered in the glee choir room, usual spots in order. Quinn Fabray and Santana Lopez were sitting in the back. Finn Hudson, Noah Puckerman and Sam Evans in the middle. Mercedes Jones, Mike Chang, Tina Chang and Artie Abrams up front. I, Rachel Berry, was currently standing in the front of said choir room, trying to impose upon my fellow glee clubbers the importance of song selection. As per usual, they refused to listen, and told me directly what they thought of me and my song choice. This time the argument was lead by Santana Lopez, the latina Cheerio with a bad attitude, and an entire collection of cruel quips.

"Santana, song selection is of the utmost importance, and I really believe that none of you realize the severity of the situation, and furthermore-"

"That's enough, Rachel. I think everyone understands what you're trying to say. Go ahead and take a seat."

Before I had finished, I was interrupted by Mr. Schuester's voice that was clearly laced with annoyance.

I begrudgingly made my way back to my seat, attempting to avoid eye contact with everyone. I looked up briefly and met Quinn's eyes, surprised to see a look akin to compassion. As quickly as it had appeared, it was gone in a flash, replaced with her usual stony glare that was reserved especially for me.

I sat down with a huff and crossed my arms over my chest. I was annoyed with all of them, and I wanted it to show. Call it childish if you will, but at that moment I didn't care. Finn glanced over briefly, and sad smile on his face. He may not be most intelligent person on the face of the planet, but there were times when I was sure that he understood how I felt. I sighed once more and attempted to pay attention to what was being said at the front of the room.

"Okay guys, come on. I want song ideas! I know you all have something to contribute, so let me hear it."

I turned to our teacher, an incredulous look on my face.

"Mr. Schuester, I have been trying to share my ideas with all of you for a good part of an hour, and none of you seem to be listening. I'm a natural born star. I think that it's a wise choice for all of you-"

"Just shut up Ru Paul, no one wants to hear you right now. Or ever, really."

Ah, and there she was. The Quinn Fabray that I was familiar with. That person with the compassionate smile had cleared out pretty quickly. Maybe it was just my imagination, and she never really existed at all.

"Quinn, if you would just listen-"

"We all know you're a star Rachel, you make it clear to us everyday that you know way more than we do, and we should all pretty much just keep our mouths shut and let you make all the decisions. To be honest, I'm sick of it."

I was shocked to see Mercedes speaking up. Granted, she wasn't known for being shy, but this outburst was definitely unexpected, and I, for once, was left speechless.

"You're like totally my hot Jew, but sometimes you just don't know when to be quiet."

One by one the glee club members voiced their opinions of me, and I once again felt defeated. Although it wasn't much of a shock, I was disappointed that not even our teacher stood up for me.

"Well, if that's how you all feel. I hope you all have fun choosing your terrible songs without the aid of my professional opinion. If you'll all excuse me, I'll be taking my leave now." I jumped up and out of chair in a dramatic fashion, and stormed out of the glee club choir room, trying to keep my emotions bottled up. The day: Monday. Only four more days to endure.

...GLEE.

Though this wasn't the first time that I had thrown a so called 'diva-fit', it is in fact the first time that I have left school grounds following said storm out. I wasn't one to pull acts of delinquency; when things weren't exactly going my way, I would leave the glee choir room and head immediately for the library.

The library itself and its calming atmosphere helped to clear my head, and go through step by step what lead to me rushing out of the choir room in the first place. This time, however. This time was different. Upon my exit, I headed for home immediately. After everything that had been said by the glee club members, I couldn't bare the embarrassment of running into one of them in the hallway. The fact that they could say all of these things to me was just something that I could not comprehend. Had they been thinking all of these things the whole time I was in the club? Were they all just waiting for the day that they could tell me what they really thought of me? Not one bit of it was fair. How _dare_ they gang up on me like that. Why couldn't they just see that I was the glue that was holding them together?

All of it was just too much. I wasn't going to let them deter me from my path to stardom, not for a second. It was at that moment that I decided to put the events of the day behind me, and focus entirely on my future on Broadway. Taking a deep breath, I entered my house, praying that Dad and Daddy would be at work. Though both of them frowned deeply at absenteeism I knew that given the current situation I would be allowed a free pass. I shut the door quietly and crept towards the stairs, almost home free until-

"Rachel, sweetie, what are you doing home? School doesn't end for another two hours."

I sighed softly to myself and straightened my posture, preparing myself to face my fathers. I knew I couldn't possibly lie to them, but telling the truth would hurt too much.

"Hello Dad, hello Daddy. Wonderful weather we're having, isn't it?"

Dad leaned forward in his recliner and clasped his hands in front of him. Daddy raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Honey, would you like to explain to us why you aren't in school?" Well, no, I really didn't, but they weren't giving me much of a choice.

"I just...wasn't feeling well, that's all. I figured that it would be best to simply walk home, as opposed to having the school nurse call both of you and interrupt whatever it is you were doing at the time."

Dad leaned back in his chair and smiled softly. "I'm sorry you aren't feeling well, Rachel. But I want you to know that anything that concerns the health of our baby girl will never, ever be an inconvenience. Head up to your room and lie down now, alright?"

Daddy and Dad smiled knowingly at each other as I headed upstairs, thoughts of burying myself in my comforter swarming through my mind.

"I'll handle it this time."

Not even a minute after I jumped beneath my covers, I heard a soft knock on my door.

"Come in." My voice was barely audible through my sniffles.

Daddy walked through the door, shut it gently, and sat beside me.

"You want to tell me what really happened? I know that you weren't sick; with the amount of vitamins that you take daily, coupled with your strict diet regimen and vigorous work out schedule, any sickness would be a fool to try and come knocking at your door."

I laughed softly and sniffled once more.

"It was just...school. Glee club, more specifically. Today's practice didn't exactly go the way that I thought it would."

Daddy took my hand in his and nodded for me to continue on.

"They hate me, Daddy. Every single one of them has nothing but contempt for me. All I wanted to do was share my song ideas, because I _know_ that I chose only winning song selections, but none of them would listen to me, even Mr. Schuester, our _teacher_, for crying out loud, would not listen to me, and then Finn smiled at me, but didn't stand up for me, and then I saw something in Quinn's eyes that wasn't her normal show of disgust, and don't even get me started on Santana-"

"Breathe, baby girl, breathe. Just take it easy."

"It's just...they're the closest things that I have to friends, Daddy. And to find out that they all secretly hate me...it was just too much."

Daddy smiled softly and brushed a fallen piece of hair out of my eyes.

"Rachel, I know that you think this might be the end of the world, but I don't really think that it's as bad as you make it out to be."

Upon seeing that I was prepared to argue heatedly, he put his hands up in mock surrender.

"Just hear me out, alright? You, my darling daughter, are a natural born performer. You know what songs sound good, you know exactly which emotions to put into which song, and you know how to please a crowd. Glee club really is perfect for you. But you see, that's just the thing. It's a club, with numerous people trying to act on their dreams of performing. Each person in that club wants their voice to be heard. Though I have no doubt that the songs that you chose are perfect, sometimes you have to let others have their turn as well. I don't for a second believe that any one of them hates you, Rachel. I believe that in itself is an impossibility. I just think that you need to stop and listen, and allow them their time to shine."

With that being said, Daddy leaned down and kissed my forehead softly, and left the room. Everything that he had said to me made sense. I just didn't know that everyone would take my taking charge so personally. All I wanted to do was help, and I thought that they knew it. Well, it was comforting to think that they didn't really hate me, and that they just wanted their voices to be heard. With these thoughts swimming around in my head, I was suddenly very excited for tomorrow's glee club meeting.

...GLEE.

Tuesday morning arrived quickly, and I hopped out of bed at my normal hour of 6:00am, and headed straight towards the elliptical machine. In my head, I rehearsed over and over again the speech that I had prepared for the glee club. I would explain to them that though I was in fact the best performer in the club, I had no issue with occasionally sharing the stage with them. After all, it was most of them who needed the practice; my vocals were near flawless. Yes, I was sure that after I had explained to them that it was a simple misunderstanding, we would all be on the same page once more, on our way to victory.

Upon arriving at school, I was all smiles as I made my way happily down the hallways. I smiled brightly and nodded hello to everyone that passed by me. Yes, this was going to be a good day. A day of change.

My smile dropped immediately as I approached a wall comprised of the school's football team, blocking the entrance to the glee choir room. Each one of them had a predatory smile on their face, and a large cup in their hands. It didn't take a genius to figure out what the cups contained. That icy liquid and I had many intimate moments together, moments that I was hoping to avoid today.

"Listen, none of you have to do this. I understand the pressures that come with your popularity; I understand your need to flaunt your bravado any chance that you get. I also know that making others feel badly about themselves isn't going to make you better about you. Just let me through that door, and we can pretend this never happened, and you will all leave this situation more enlightened."

One by one they turned to each other, looks of confusion etched upon their faces. Then, they turned to me, with all the timing of a professional synchronized swimming team, and showed me exactly what they thought about my speech.

When it was all over, they spread apart and went their separate ways, smiles still on their faces. Lifting my hands slowly, I let the sticky liquid make its way down my arms, my mouth open to form a small 'o' of surprise. Before I really had a chance to react, I was pulled harshly into the girls locker room, and slammed against a nearby wall.

"Why the hell do you do this to yourself everyday? I just don't understand it. Just take a separate route and avoid them altogether! And what was with all that garbage you were spewing? Did you really think that you were going to miraculously change their ways with your over dramatic words?"

For a moment I thought that I had fallen and hit my head just a little too hard. Surely Quinn Fabray, the intelligent, athletic, and beautiful head cheerleader was not standing in front of me, both of her hands on my shoulders, her hazel eyes staring deeply into mine. Alright, maybe I did hit my head, but what was happening at this moment was most definitely not the product of a concussion.

"Quinn, hello. What brings you to the girls' bathroom this bright afternoon?"

Quinn stared at me, her mouth opening and closing slowly (doing a flawless impression of a goldfish, might I add), as if she were grasping for the right words.

"You're a moron, you know that? You're a glutton for this crap. Why don't you try standing up for yourself for once, instead of letting the whole student body walk all over you? Jesus, Berry, I thought you were smarter than that. Now...just...stay out of my way!"

With those words hanging in the air, Quinn gave once last final shove which caused me to gasp, and threw a bundle of paper towels at me before making her exit. Something...something very important had just happened, I could feel it. Though I was still very dazed from making contact with the wall, I could tell that something monumental has just occurred here in the girl's bathroom.

Quinn Fabray actually spoke to me, and, dare I say it (Oh, I think I dare!), showed a sliver of kindness to me in my moment of distress. Though her words were laced with sarcasm and bitterness, I could tell that underneath that hard steel exterior a part of her really did care about what happened to me that particular Tuesday morning. My mind running a mile a minute, I quickly cleaned myself off and made my way to the choir room.

When I entered the room, the loud buzz of many conversations going at once assaulted my ears. I looked around and noticed that my usual seat was taken, so I sat in the front row, the seat right in front of Quinn's. As I made my way to the chair, I tried to meet Quinn's eyes to convey my thanks, but she was looking in nearly every direction but my own. Sighing softly, I gave up trying to telepathically get her attention and took my seat. A moment after, Mr. Schuester came in, waving his hands about to get our attention. Every word that was coming out of his mouth was foreign to me, all of my thoughts focusing around a certain blonde cheerleader. I was so engrossed in the question of why Quinn would do such a thing in the girl's bathroom, a _public_ place, where people could _see _that she was engaging in conversation with a person like me, that I completely forgot about the speech that I had prepared for everyone. Pushing it to the back of my mind, I made a mental note to speak about it tomorrow.

Right now my thoughts were completely and utterly focused on one Quinn Fabray, who clearly wasn't the person that she pretended to be. For a brief moment in time, she allowed her walls to drop, and gave me a glimpse of the person that she truly was. For a lack of better words, I found it to be...magnificent.

I was so engrossed in my own thoughts that I barely registered the obnoxious snort that I head from behind me.

"Jesus Berry, why don't you eye fuck Quinn some more, I don't think they felt in China." My eyes widened in shock as I realized the gravity of the situation; I had been so focused on figuring out my Quinn situation, that I hadn't realized I had been turned around this entire time, apparently staring her down. I immediately straightened up, grasping for words.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Santana. I was merely admiring the paint job that just happens to be stationed behind Quinn. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have places to be." Before I was able to get up, I was shoved roughly back down into my seat. I let out a small yelp and met the furious hazel eyes before me.

"Keep it in your goddamn pants, Treasure Trail."

With that said, both Cheerios shoved past me and exited the room. What...just happened?

Day: Tuesday. Only three more days to endure.

Tuesday came and went, and I had once again accomplished nothing. I was more confused than ever, but didn't feel like dwelling anymore. I smiled at my fathers and engaged in the appropriate conversation, and then went to my room and fell into a restless sleep, praying that tomorrow would bring with it some better luck.

...GLEE.

Wednesday morning came, and I once again met the day with bright eyes and hope for a pleasant school day. I walked my normal route through the hallway, Quinn's harsh words echoing in my head. Fortunately for me, the foot ball team was nowhere to be found, but something still felt off. Not a day went by that I wasn't faced with some act of bullying, no matter large or small.

My eyes shifted back and forth rapidly as I searched for something amiss. Everyone seemed to be focused on their own comings and goings, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something awful had happened. Shaking my head, I assured myself that I was just being silly, and letting the paranoia get to me. Moments later as I was approaching my locker, I knew that my earlier suspicions had been accurate.

My locker door was wide open, and the inside looked like a bomb had gone off. Papers were falling out of it, a result of someone tearing apart the books that I had stored inside. Pictures I had posted of myself and my idols were ripped in half, and painted on the inside were words concerning the sexuality of my fathers that are far too painful to repeat. I quickly pushed the tears aside and made my way towards Principal Figgins' office. This _had_ to stop, all of it.

I knocked loudly on his door, and entered before he had a chance to speak.

"This has got to stop, right this minute. The continual slushies, the horrible things they say behind my back, and now _this_."

Principal Figgins sat at his desk, a deer caught in headlights expression on his face.

"What exactly are you talking about, Miss Berry?"

I reeled on him quickly, anger and resentment marring my normal facade of happiness.

"My_ locker._ They tore apart my _locker_. They destroyed private property, and painted cruel words about my fathers, who are kind men, and did absolutely_ nothing_ to deserve this blatant show of ignorance!"

Principal Figgins sat for a moment, a look of quiet contemplation on his face.

"I would suggest perhaps investing in a stronger lock?"

It was at that precise moment that I realized that none of the authority figures in the school would be able to help me. They went about their day in a happy unknowing state, ignoring the pain emanating from the students around them.

I swallowed a few times, my throat suddenly feeling as though it were full of cotton. I didn't remember it being this dry before.

"Unbelievable..just...unbelievable." With that said, I rushed out his office, a feeling of absolute dread settling upon my shoulders. How was I to survive if I had no one there to help me?

Day: Wednesday. Only two more days to endure.

...GLEE.

Thursday came much too quickly for my liking, and I thought seriously on feigning sick. As much as I would have liked to hide in my room all day, I knew that I would have to face the world sooner or later. Rachel Berry was no coward. Although I had decided to go to school that morning, I skipped my normal routine, my body too drained for anything more than a quick shower. I avoided my fathers for fear that they would see something in my eyes that would tip them off. The last thing I wanted to do was worry them. I snuck down the stairs and out the door, and made my way towards school.

This day seemed like a mirror image of all the others, only this time there were no slushies to greet me, and my locker was still intact. There were no football players standing guard, nor were there any students huddled together, sneaking glances and giggles at my expense. My classes flew by, and I was rather pleased with the lack of drama this day was providing.

I stood before the door of the choir room, and took a deep breath before entering. Here goes...well, everything.

I entered and sat down, taking a chair in the front row. I even threw a cautious glance towards Quinn, one that was met with a shy smile, and a barely noticeable nod of the head. I smiled back and focused on Mr. Schuester, realizing that the clouds that were hanging over my head seemed to be clearing up quite nicely.

The rest of the practice went on without a hitch. I spoke up only to give my input, and kept the complaining to a minimum. There were no rude glaces thrown my way that day, only looks of shock. To this reaction I merely smiled, and went back to engaging in conversation, without taking over.

The meeting finally ended, everyone going off in different directions. I stepped out of the choir room and stopped when I noticed Quinn bent over at the water fountain. I guess I let my gaze linger for too long, because someone behind me cleared their throat. Standing behind me was a beast of a boy, a football player by the name of Karofsky. I glanced at him warily, and looked back over to where Quinn was originally standing, now seeing nothing but her absence.

"What can I do for you, David? Would you like me to stand here while you douse me in ice cold slushies? Or perhaps you'd like me to stand here at attention, while you throw your nasty remarks at me to make yourself feel better. Is that what you want, David? Is that what you-"

I was interrupted when he let out a snarl that more animal than man.

"You think people don't see what you're doing? They way you stare at her? You're disgusting. We don't want your kind here."

I blinked rapidly at him, my show of courage taking a hit. Caught off guard? Absolutely.

"I don't have time for this, David. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to, matters that do not include the likes of you."

I turned on my heels and prepared to rush away, but his laughter kept me firmly planted. It wasn't a laugh of good old fashioned humor; it was a laugh that was laced in malice.

"You're just as bad as that fag in your club. Is that what glee club is about? Bringing out your inner gay? Everyone sees the way you stare at her, and it's disgusting. She'll never want you. You're just trash beneath her feet. I guess your dads rubbed off on you, didn't they?"

With an ugly sneer, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, a million and one emotions rushing through me.

Day: Thursday. Only one more day left in hell.

...GLEE.

After my encounter with David Karofsky, I realized that I couldn't take it anymore. It was just too much, and clearly I wasn't as strong as I had once thought I was. I had finally reached my breaking point. I went to my fathers and told them everything that had happened over the last few days, and they looked at me knowingly, the love pouring off of them almost overwhelming. I told them that I couldn't possibly go back to school, that it was wearing on me physically, mentally, and emotionally. They pulled me in to a tight hug, and told me not to worry, because they had it all figured out.

Exhaustion taking over, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, dreaming of new beginnings.

It was early the next day that my fathers told me of their plan. At first, I didn't quite know what to say; it all seemed surreal, and completely life altering. I felt myself about to protest, and then realized...what exactly was the point? Why should I fight this Why should I fight to stay in a school that had only beat me down, day after day? These thoughts swarming in my head, my decision was made.

I glanced down at the pamphlet that they had given me, realizing that this was the start of my brand new life.

"Dalton Academy for Girls"

New life, meet Rachel Berry. Rachel Berry, meet new life. I'm sure you'll get along fabulously.

...GLEE.

The next day, the usual chatter went on interrupted in the choir room, and only one member of the club realized that something was missing. She kept this to herself, hoping that she was wrong, and that said missing thing would come waltzing into the room any second now. That second never came. She met her teacher's eyes and knew that he was about to say something, something that she wasn't going to like.

"Okay guys, listen up! I'm afraid I have some bad news for all of you. It seems that we're going to be losing a member of our little family here. It saddens me to tell you all that Rachel has decided to transfer schools."

The reactions from the club members varied, most of them hadn't seen it coming. One particular blonde in the back of the room had seen this in the works, and hid her reaction well. She had shared with the small brunette glimpses of her anger, glimpses of her compassion; if she was in the room right now, she would seem glimpses of her pain as well.

...GLEE.

I read through the pamphlet at least a dozen or more times, so much that Daddy had taken it away with a slight chuckle.

"You'll be fiiiine. Stop worrying so much."

I rolled my eyes in response to this, and settled back into my seat. As the car started up, I could feel the excitement growing within me. This was it. This was my chance to start over, and jump back on track to my future as a star. I would leave McKinley High in the past, and move forward towards a bright future.

The car ride was long, and ended just before Daddy gave way to some kind of stroke. It really wasn't my fault that I was so excited, and just couldn't stop talking the entire way there. I felt the car come to a stop, and ceased speaking at once. I stared up at the building before us in awe. It was beautiful. I hadn't stepped inside, and yet I could feel that this was already my home. Before I was able to speak another word, I noticed a person rushing towards the car. All three of us stepped outside, and were met by a tall blonde girl who was smiling widely, though she was very much out of breath. I smiled at her, and prepared to introduce myself, but she spoke before I was able to inhale.

"Hi! My name is Brittany S. Pierce! Welcome to Dalton Academy for Girls!"

**GLEE!**


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Thank you so much for the kind reviews. Though they are not necessary, they are incredibly inspiring, and certainly push me to write faster. This is just a mini in between chapter that I think explains some things. I'm in the process of writing the next chapter, and it should be up soon. Once again, I own nothing.

**Quinn POV**

A part of me still couldn't believe her nerve. Who did she think she was, just _leaving_ us like that? I think the most infuriating part is that none of us saw this coming. It was a shock to all of us, even Mr. Schuester. Day after day she showed up to glee club, wearing those stupid sweaters and that stupid smile on her face. She stood in front of us in typical dictator fashion, telling us all exactly what we were doing wrong. And then bam. Just like that, she's gone, without any warning.

Another part of me just couldn't wrap my mind around how _I_ didn't see this coming. I knew of the issues with the football players, I was front and center for that little show. I had heard in passing about the locker incident, but I didn't think it was as serious as she had made it out to be. This is high school, for god's sake. Crap like that happens all the time.

Though Berry was annoying to the max, I never took her to be a dumb person. I tried to get my point across in the girl's bathroom, but I could tell that she wasn't listening to me. Her attention was clearly elsewhere, even when I decided to get a bit rough. I could not for the life of me understand why someone so smart could just let people walk all over her like she was their goddamn welcome mat. I dealt with enough of that through the years, and I knew how it felt. The difference between she and I? I decided to change everything. I fought back, _for_ myself. Why the hell couldn't she do the same?

I was risking a lot by pulling her aside for our little chat, that was for damn sure. The rules of high school were put firmly in place for a reason, as much as I didn't like it. I was on top, and she was at the bottom. I worked hard to get to where I was, and she...well, all she really had to do was be herself, and the spot on the bottom of the totem pole was reserved especially for her. But she couldn't see that it could be changed. All she had to do was fight back for her pathetic existence, but I guess in the end it wasn't worth fighting for, and she decided that running away was the only solution.

I sat there in the back of the room, my brow uncharacteristically in flux. I was trying my best to hide my confusion, but I guess I wasn't doing such a good job given the look that Santana was currently throwing my way.

"Q, what is your trauma? The hobbit is finally gone, we should totes be celebrating."

I turned to her and smiled softly, nodding my head.

"No more lectures, no more having to avert my eyes from her hideous clothing."

She laughed loudly and clapped me on the back. "Exactly! Shit, I knew today was going to be awesome." She resumed her previous position of slouching back, the smile on her face impossibly wide.

I could tell by the rapid whispering throughout the room that every one else was just as confused as me. Rachel Berry was gone, and she wasn't coming back. Rachel Berry was no longer going to be front and center, trying to control the glee club's every move. Some people were smiling, while others didn't seem so giddy about the sudden news. She was annoyingly self centered, but the girl could sing. I hated to admit it, but she was incredibly talented; it kills me to say that she was probably the best singer in our entire group (though I'd never tell her that). And now, not only had we lost our best chance of winning, but we were also down a member. Anyone who joined glee club might as well have a giant target painted on their back, and everyone knew it. It explained why people never voluntarily signed up to join us.

I had my own reasons for joining glee club, and contrary to popular belief, it wasn't all about Finn Hudson. A part of me did it to watch over Finn and Rachel, to make sure they weren't getting close. After realizing that Rachel had her own plans that involved only her path to becoming a star, I began to relax a little, and enjoy glee club for what it was.

I loved the Cheerios, and I loved being the Captain of the squad, but a little secret of mine? I loved singing even more. So yeah, I pretended that it was all in the name of taking down Rachel Berry, but really it was only a ploy to distract people from my obvious happiness I gained from singing. It sounds stupid, I know. But Quinn Fabray is not allowed to be happy. It's like a general rule of the universe. I am allowed to be an angry, jealous bitch, and I am allowed to tear down those around me, but I cannot for one second show a bit of happiness.

I sat in the back of the room, glowering down at all the others. Without Rachel in the group, there would be no reason for me to stay in glee club. I'm sure that very soon Santana and coach Sylvester would start questioning why I was still there. After all, Rachel was gone! Finn was safely in my corner, and I should go back to being the best HBIC that I could be. It wasn't fair. I didn't want to leave. I growled angrily to myself and raised my hand. Mr. Schuester glanced up at me warily, and motioned for me to speak.

"Mr. Schuester, do you happen to know where Rachel transferred to?"

He looked at me for a minute before shaking his head. "I'm sorry Quinn, but that information wasn't given to me. I think that Rachel and her fathers wanted it to be kept confidential. May I ask why you're so curious?"

I sighed softly before mustering the best sneer that I could.

"Oh, I don't know. I was thinking about dropping in to say hello (Jesus, the look Santana was giving me-it's like I had just sprouted another head), maybe bring a slushy to an old...friend."

Santana laughed loudly and turned to give me a fist bump, which I of course returned.

Mr. Schuester gave an agitated sigh before turning back to the other members. I met Finn's eyes and smiled at him, but he didn't return it. Whatever. He was the least of my worries right now.

As I sat there in the back with Santana, feeling the joy emanating off of her, I felt my anger growing by the second.

How dare Rachel just leave like that! Didn't she know that she was ruining my highly thought out plan? How dare she not even say good bye to us! Wait...what the hell was that? Why would I care if Rachel said goodbye? After a momentary lapse in sanity, I went back to cursing her name for ruining my plan. Yes...that's why I was furious with her. Because of her, I'd have to leave glee club, and that's why I was so angry.

If that was the reason I was so angry...then how come deep down inside, I didn't for one second believe it?

...GLEE.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: Alright, back to basics. I know the last chapter was lacking, but I hope this makes up for it. In all honesty, I'm completely in love with the Brittany that's in my story. If you feel she's over the top, feel free to say so. This chapter also introduces two OCs. I personally hate it when stories have too many OCs in them, but I promise you, mine are there for a reason. You'll love them, and you'll hate them. Just remember, this is a glee story. Its main focus will be around the characters that you all know so well. With that being said, let's get on with the story. Review if there's something you'd like to say, be it praise or flames.

I own nothing.

**Rachel POV**

I had finally arrived! I had left my life at McKinley High school far behind me, and there was no way I would be going back. I glanced at the girl who had approached us, her smile taking up her entire face. I looked at her closely; there were no signs of hostility, only a raw honesty about her that I found refreshing. If I had ever had doubts about this school, they were wiped away immediately after this incredibly enthusiastic girl had introduced herself.

"Hello to you too. My name is Rachel Berry, and I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance!"

I thrust out my hand to her excitedly, and gasped loudly when she grabbed my hand and pulled me to her chest, in a very tight embrace. My eyes widened immediately at this blatant show of affection (no such thing would ever occur at McKinley, let me assure you), but I returned her hug with just as much fervor.

I parted from Brittany, my smile still present. I opened my mouth to speak, but was once again interrupted when Brittany launched herself at my fathers, wrapping them up in the same manner she had me. I had to stifle a small giggle as both men looked incredibly uncomfortable.

"Oh, hello to you too, Brittany. It's nice to see that our daughter will be living with such a kind person."

Brittany released my father, her smile never faltering.

"Yeah! It's going to be great! Rach and I are like totally gonna be roommates, and have a super duper amount of fun!"

My fathers chuckled, and I had to turn my head to hide the tears that were threatening to spill. This person who I just met wanted to be my _friend_. This person who knew nothing about me was _excited _to meet me, and was already making plans for the two of us. It was certainly unexpected, but managed to touch me deeply, so much that I could barely hide my emotions. Daddy's voice knocked me out of my reverie, and I turned to them hoping that they wouldn't notice my near break down.

"Remember to call us everyday, to let us know how you're getting along. Try your best to eat properly, and oh! Remember to study! But don't work yourself too hard now!"

I gave both Dad and Daddy a hug that could rival Brittany's, told them to stop worrying so much, and then turned to her expectantly when they drove away.

"This is going to be so much fun, Rach. I have so much planned for us! So like, what do you do for fun? I like to dance, and I like to hang out with my bestie. She and I feed the ducks like all the time, and it's totally awesome. She's also trying to teach me Spanish, which I tell her is probably a bad idea, cause I'm not so great with English, but she tells me I can do anything that I put my mind to. Hey! Maybe you could come with us! Do you have a best friend who would want to come too?"

The innocence that I saw in her eyes almost made me break down again, but fortunately I kept the tears at bay. How could I tell her that I had no friends? How could I tell her that no one would ever give me the time of day? How could I explain to her that I had no one to share inside jokes with, no one to laugh at my corny jokes while I laughed at theirs? I cleared my throat and stood up straight.

"I...well you see, I don't really have any friends, let alone a _best_ friend. But that's okay, because really I should be focusing entirely on my future as a star, and friends would only prove to be a burden, and get in the way, and furthermore-"

And there it was again. That bone crushing hug that I'm quite sure I could get used to.

"It's okay Rachel. _I'll_ be your best friend. It's okay to have more than one best friend, right? I hope I'm not breaking any of the rules in the best friend handbook. I don't think that she'd mind. She's really really sweet, and you guys could totally be friends too!"

It was impossible not to smile back when Brittany smiled at you. In fact, I was almost positive that it was going to be a cardinal rule at this school. She even mentioned another person who would potentially join my small list of friends. Needless to say, I felt like I was on top of the world.

"Your friend sounds very kind, Brittany. I look forward to meeting her."

I allowed Brittany to link my arm in hers, which was a difficult task given the extreme difference in height, but we managed to make it work. She led me into the large building, talking my ear off about all of the clubs that the school had to offer. She told me about the teachers, and how some of them were old and mean, and just didn't understand the art of interpretive dance. Her argument was that some math problems could only be worked out in such a way. She said that the food was decent, and the mashed potatoes were excellent building material for castles, but she still had problems building the moat; apparently the gravy wasn't nearly as cooperative.

I paused to take in everything that she was telling me, and let my eyes take a minute to wander over the student body. Everyone seemed so close. Many girls appeared to be using tactics on one another that I had seen used by the football players on unsuspecting Cheerios. Some girls were holding hands with others, and not one passerby shot them a dirty look. So that kind of thing was not frowned upon here? This school couldn't possibly get any better. As the daughter of two homosexual men, it was important to me that the people that I kept company with were open and understanding to such relationships.

I looked to Brittany and remembered how kindly she took to both of my fathers. She never once questioned it. As I stood there thinking to myself, I failed to notice that Brittany had once again grabbed my hand. She pulled me over to a table, and smiled expectantly.

"How are you liking it so far? I think that the chairs here are super comfy, and the twirly staircases are fun to slide down."

I smiled at her and nodded.

"Yes, the chairs are quite nice, aren't they? Brittany, I have a question for you, and I hope that I in no way offend you. A lot of the girls here seem particularly close. Is most of the student body...what I mean to say is, are they...It's just that-"

Fortunately for my sake, Brittany gently placed her hand over my mouth, and smiled at me.

"Oh! You mean like sharks and dolphins? Well, I'm totally a dolphin, like a bunch of the girls here, but there's also a lot of sharks, too. You have a dolphin vibe around you, did you know that?"

In all honesty, I hadn't understood a single thing she had said to me, but I nodded anyway.

"It really is fascinating to see a school so accepting. The school that I originally came from...well, let's just say they weren't very understanding of many things."

For the first time since our introduction, I saw the smile drop from Brittany's face, and morph into the most saddening expression I have ever seen. Her mouth turned upside down, and her bright blue eyes started to water.

"I'm so sorry that they were mean to you, Rach. I don't understand why they would be so mean to someone so nice. They must not have been hugged enough when they were little."

I reached across the table and gave her arm a little squeeze. "Hey now, don't be sad. It may not have ended well, but because of it, you and I became friends."

She brightened up immediately, and- yes, you guessed it- reached over and gave me a hug.

"So, Brittany. You asked me earlier what I like to do. I believe that it is my destiny to become a star, and eventually sing on a great stage, while thousands of people applaud for me. I was the star of my previous high school's glee club. They just never appreciated my talent, and everything that I could bring to the table."

I paused a minute to take a sip of the water I was currently drinking, and spit it out after realization hit me like a ton of bricks. Glee Club. I didn't research the school before it was chosen, and I had no idea as to whether the school had its own choir! I looked around frantically, jumping into full panic mode.

"Brittany. Please please please tell me that this school has a glee club. I just don't know what I'll do if they don't. What will happen to me if I'm not able to practice everyday, in front of other people to showcase my talent? What will happen to my voice if I suddenly stop using it as often as I had before? What will happen if-"

I paused and clutched at my chest, lack of oxygen finally taking its toll.

"Rach, do you need a doctor? Your eyes were popping out really funny for a second there, and your voice was getting all high pitched and stuff. We do have a glee club, and they're holding auditions soon. I'm in it, and it's great. You should totally join too!"

I collapsed back in my chair as I felt the relief wash over me. They had a glee club. Everything was going to be all right. For a moment there, the only thing circulating my mind was McKinley High School. Glee club was everything to me. Essentially, it was one of the stepping stones to my dream of becoming a real star. I needed glee club like I needed oxygen. If I had been unfortunate enough that this school was lacking something so vital to my mere existence...well, let's just say I didn't really want to think about it. Going back to McKinley had seemed out of the question, but without a glee club, the real Rachel Berry ceased to exist.

I looked up at Brittany and gave her two thumbs up, letting her know that though I had been mere seconds away from passing out, I was back to being just fine and dandy.

"I'd like to know more about your glee club, if that's alright? Who is the captain, how many members, what the glee club teacher is like. Those sort of things."

Brittany paused a moment, appearing lost in thought.

"Well, our teacher's name is Miss Summers. She's really great. She let's us choose what songs we want to sing. Everyone gets their song chosen eventually, and we all have a lot of fun with it. Our captain's name is Hadley Wilde. She's also the captain of the cheer leading team, which I'm also on. Oh! Did you wanna be a cheerleader too, Rachel?"

My eyes widened at this suggestion. Me? A cheerleader? The idea was laughable. If the kids at McKinley could only hear this conversation...But then again, I kept forgetting that this _wasn't _McKinley. At this school, I could be myself one hundred percent, and fear no persecution. Maybe my destiny wasn't to be on a great stage. Maybe I was to head the world's top ranked cheer leading team!

Note to self: lack of oxygen does strange things to a person's mind.

"No, Brittany. Thank you for offering, I appreciate it very much. I'm mostly interested in your glee club, and its captain. Her name was Hadley, correct?"

Brittany nodded vigorously. "Yeah, that's her name. She's a really nice person. Did you want to meet her? I think that's her coming our way now. Oh, and that's the co-captain of the cheer leaders and the glee club, Cameron."

I looked up, and the first thoughts to enter my mind were that Quinn Fabray and Santana Lopez had transferred to Dalton to make my life a living hell. Really, they were very dedicated to the position of 'Personal Tormentors of Rachel Berry'. Upon closer analysis, I realized that though Quinn and this girl were very similar in appearance, Quinn Fabray was most likely in class right now, filing her perfect nails. Santana...well, I tried not to think about what she was currently doing. I was a firm believer that thinking her name three times would only bring about disaster.

The first thing that set Quinn and Hadley apart was the smile. Though Quinn was a very pretty girl with a face that was quite memorable, she wasn't known for showing cheer. The girl that resembled Santana, well she...oh no...and there it was. Three times! I immediately covered my head with my hands, preparing for the worst. I sighed softly when nothing happened, ignoring the queer look that Brittany was sending my way.

Anyway, back to the look-a-likes. When Hadley stepped closer, I noticed that her eyes were in fact blue, a color so rich that it rivaled the green eyes of Quinn Fabray. This girl also appeared to be a little shorter, but just as fit. Her hair was lighter than Quinn's but pulled back in the same tight pony tail.

The two girls sauntered up to us, smiles in place. Both of them were clad in their black and red cheer leading uniforms, making them look no less threatening than Sue Sylvester's Cheerios.

"Hello, My name is Hadley Wilde, and it's really great to finally meet the new student." She put out her hand in a very un-Quinn-like fashion, and I took it gently.

The she-who-will-not-be-named lookalike stepped forward, and offered her hand as well.

"Hi! My name is Cameron Ramirez. How do you like our school so far?"

Once again upon closer inspection, I realized that this girl didn't look much like San- you know who I mean.

Her skin tone was a shade lighter, and her eyes were a blue so light, they appeared to be gray. She too had her hair pulled back into a tight pony tail, a feature I immediately used to categorize cheer leaders.

Both of these girls had a kindness in their eyes that the other two had lacked. Though their features were quite similar, they seemed to have more going for them in the personality department.

"Your school is beautiful, and I'm very happy to be here. So, Hadley. I heard from Brittany that you're the captain of the school's glee club? I'm very interested in joining, and if you don't mind my saying, giving you a run for your money."

I expected some sort of brash reaction from the girl. My filter had once again turned off, and I had said more than I had wanted to. Don't get me wrong- I fully intended on telling her that I would eventually be the captain of the glee club, whether she liked it or not. I just didn't plan on it happening the second we met. Truth be told, I expected a slushy to come flying at me the instant those words left my mouth, and braced myself for the icy shower. What I got was certainly not what I expected.

Instead of a makeshift shower right there in the middle of the hallway, I was met with the sound of her soft laughter.

Bells. Her laughter reminded me of soft bells, blowing in the wind.

I opened my eyes to see if this was some sort of practical joke, but she was standing before me, her hand covering her mouth as she tried not to laugh.

"Oh, Rachel. You're really cute, you know that? I'm glad you're going to try for captain, really, I am. It'll definitely bring some excitement to this place!"

With that said, she took my hand and kissed the back of it gently, and turned to walk away.

"Challenge accepted."

Cameron turned to Brittany and winked.

"It was good seeing you again, Brittany."

When the two of them were gone, I turned to Brittany, my mouth still hanging open in surprise. Now, let me explain something to you. Dating, and all of the steps that lead up to an actual partnership, are a huge mystery to me. I've never flirted with anyone (at least not that I'm aware of) and no one has ever flirted with me. I once thought that Finn Hudson had been winking at me, but it turned out that a piece of dust had flown into his eye. But if I was not mistaken...I think that Hadley Wilde had just flirted with me.

Needless to say, I was left in a state of shock when the two girls were gone.

I looked to Brittany to see if she was in a state mirroring my own. To my surprise, Brittany once again looked downcast, and slightly uncomfortable. I gently put my hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Hey...are you alright? Do you need me to get anything for you?"

Brittany looked down at me, and smiled softly. The smile she gave me just about broke my heart, because it in no way reached her eyes.

"I'm okay, Rach. Thanks for asking. It's just that Cameron...she kinda says and does things that I think she shouldn't. She's really nice and all, but I have to keep turning her down. She doesn't really know when to give up, ya know?"

I really didn't know. I never had the sort of problem where people were clamoring to get my attention. Though I couldn't nod my head in agreement, I knew that this girl was making Brittany uncomfortable, and that was something that I would put a stop to if Brittany ever said the word. The loyalty that I felt to this girl whom I had just met was slightly overwhelming. I never had a friend to stick up for, but now that I did, I would do whatever I had to do to stick up for her in times of distress.

Knowing that Brittany probably needed a change of scenery to cheer her up, I suggested that we go to our rooms and get settled, and she happily obliged.

She was right. The spiral staircase _was_ very nice. I could see why she liked it so much. Though I hadn't seen all of the school yet, what I had seen so far proved to be beautiful. Whoever designed the building took their time on every detail down to the smallest carving in the arm rail.

When we reached the top, we were met with a long hallway that housed several doors. She led me to the very end, and opened a door marked "207."

"This is our room. I have a key made for you already, so don't worry about that. That room across from ours is Hadley and Cameron's. Just, you know, so you know. This building we're in right now is one of the dormitories that this school has. All of the class rooms are in a separate building as well. Don't worry though, I'll be there to show you around."

I glanced at the room across from ours briefly, expecting it to pop open at any second. When it remained shut, I followed Brittany inside and closed the door behind us.

The first thought to enter my head was...wow. Brittany's color scheme was certainly unique. Upon entering, my eyes were assaulted by the brightest colors of the spectrum. Bright splotches of orange, yellow, lime green, and pink adorned her walls. Her bed was messy, but looked comfortable. Magazines were scattered across the floor, and posters of people in various dancing positions were on the ceiling. The mirror stand that was beside her bed was full of pictures, and I couldn't stop myself from stepping forward to take a look.

I expected to see a lot of pictures with Brittany and her family members, but the majority of them were of a cat. An incredibly fat cat.

"Oh! That's Lord Tubbington! Isn't he just the cutest cat ever? I wasn't allowed to bring him with me, and it made me really sad. I call him everyday though, just to make sure he's doing okay."

I looked up at Brittany, doing my best to smile back. This cat...was enormous. She must have been feeding him human food. No cat could possibly get that large from off the shelf kitty food. I looked around her pictures some more, my amusement growing. There was Brittany with her cat at the beach. There was Brittany with him in a hot tub. The pictures of her cat seemed endless...until...wait? There was one with another person in it.

I looked down and gently touched the picture that was encased in glass, with a thick frame surrounding it. The picture was of Brittany and a girl with dark hair. I couldn't make out her features because her head was currently buried in Brittany's chest, as if trying to avoid the camera all together. I thought that perhaps the girl was upset, and Brittany was trying to console her, but upon closer inspection I noticed the small smile that she didn't manage to hide.

I heard a soft sigh behind me and turned to see Brittany standing there, a content smile on her face.

"Is that your best friend?"

She nodded softly and picked the picture up, lightly tracing the edges.

"I remember this day. We had just left the lake house that my parents make us go to every year. She had just woken up, and was complaining of bad hair and bags under her eyes. She's not very good with mornings, so I try to be extra cheery for the both of us."

Still smiling, Brittany put the picture down softly, as if it were made of gold.

"She seems like an interesting person. What's her name? I feel it inappropriate to refer to her as just your best friend, when I'm sure she has a perfectly nice name."

Before Brittany had a chance to answer, her phone went off, blaring the song 'Under The Sea' from 'The Little Mermaid.'

"Oh, shoot. It's my mom. I forgot to call Lord Tubbington today, and I bet he's throwing a tantrum. I'll be right back, Rach." With that said, she left the room, and left me to my thoughts.

This was it. My new home. I may have been slightly over dramatic in saying so, but...I felt as though it always had been. This was where I belonged.

...GLEE.

**Quinn POV**

That was it. The end of my life as I knew it. I guess I had a good run. There were some things I would have done differently but at least I tried my best.

The little outburst that I'm now referring to as the 'RB' incident occurred just as the glee club meeting was about to end. We all sat there looking like robots as Mr. Schuester was going on and on about getting to know each other better.

"Come on, guys! This assignment will be great for all of you. Think of how much you can learn about your partner if you just try."

I rolled my eyes and stopped paying attention. This was another of his lame attempts to get us all to bond more. Frankly, I think he just wanted an excuse to use his hat again. As I scanned the crowd of glee club kids, I felt a sharp poke to my side. I turned angrily to face Santana, who was sitting there looking slightly confused.

"Hey Q? You ever get the feeling that someone's talking about you? Like you get this little tickle in the back of your throat, and you can just tell that someone is running their mouth?"

I looked at her for a minute before turning away, shaking my head. She went back to her slouched position, mumbling incoherent words, and something that sounded like 'bitches best nots be running their mouths.'

I had been so engrossed in not paying attention, that I failed to hear my name being called to the front of the room. Yay, the pairing hat. Which loser did I have to waste my time on this week.

I walked up the hat and roughly put my hand in, feeling around. I pulled up the little piece of paper and groaned loudly.

"Puckerman."

I heard cheering from the back of the room, and rolled my eyes once more.

"Okay guys, you all have your partners! Now, I want you all to pair up, and talk about the assignment."

I glared in Puck's direction before taking the seat beside him.

"Alright. Let's get this over with quickly."

He waggled his eye brows suggestively before looking me up and down.

"Finally, an assignment in glee club that I can get down with."

I glared and shook my head. Somewhere in the back of the classroom, I heard Santana's obnoxious laugh, and a snort of "We can work on the project when you roll your ass up these stairs, Stubbles."

I smirked at her remark before tuning back to Puckerman.

"Alright. I think I know your main personality traits. You're a pervert. You're full of yourself. You pretty much think you're god's gift to women, which, by the way? Get over yourself. How am I doing so far?"

The downcast look on Puck's face told me exactly how he felt about my little speech.

"That's harsh, Fabray. Really fucked up. There's a lot more to the Puckerman than meets the eye."

I scoffed loudly before shooting him an incredulous look.

"Right. I'm sure there's more to you than just your shallow, man-whorish ways."

For nearly a minute, the tension was so thick that it could be sliced with a knife. And then? Well, let's just say I don't like thinking about it too much.

After Puck and I sat there staring at one another, he jumped up so quickly that he knocked his chair back, and it clattered to the ground loudly.

"You don't know shit about me, Fabray. You know what? Screw this. I'm out of here."

I mentally cringed at his outburst, and then brought my hand to my face in realization. Puck...was leaving. Something about this knowledge hit me deeply, and I couldn't contain the strangled cry that left my body.

"Noah, get back here. We aren't finished. I refuse to fail because of your stupidity."

He growled once more before reaching for the door handle.

"I don't have to do shit. I'm. Leaving."

At this point, Mr. Schuester looked about ready to flee the room for safety.

"You aren't leaving. Get back here and sit down!"

Once I saw that he had no intention of stopping, something inside of me snapped.

I clenched my hands together so tightly that my knuckles turned white, but I didn't notice. I was overflowing with so much emotion that everything seemed to fade out. And then, those fateful words.

"You can't just leave people like that, Rachel!"

I swear to god, you could hear a pin drop due to the silence that ensued.

Pausing to take in the severity of my situation, I quickly glanced around at the glee club members. Most of them were in such a state of shock that they had forgotten to close their mouths after their jaws had hit the ground. Santana had her patented 'what the fuck' face on, and was motioning to me with her hands in the air, like 'what the hell are you on?"

I looked away from everyone, muttering a barely audible 'I have to leave', before storming out and heading towards the exit. I moved as quickly as my legs would allow me to, without breaking into an all out sprint. I was almost home free when a voice behind me caught my attention.

"Quinn! Hey, wait, Quinn. I'd like to speak to you."

I turned around quickly to see none other than our teacher, hunched over trying to catch his breath.

"Listen, Quinn. I know you don't want to talk about this, and certainly not to me. But you know...it's _okay_ to miss Rachel. I'm sure that every person in that room misses Rachel just as much as you do, but they're too scared to voice it."

I looked at the ground, doing my best to avoid eye contact.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Schue. Why would I miss Rachel? I'm glad she's gone."

I could tell by the look in his eyes that he didn't fully believe it, and frankly, neither did I. But he didn't need to know that.

"I know this is hard, Quinn. I know that you and Rachel didn't always get along, but it's okay to miss her. Hey, I know. Why don't you try writing her a letter, just to remind her that she's still in our thoughts? You can give it to Miss Pillsbury, and I'm sure she'll have it sent to Rachel."

I stared at him, mouth agape. Actually contacting Rachel Berry had not once crossed my mind.

"No thank you, Mr. Schue. Why don't you have Santana write it? I'm sure she'll have some fantastic things to say." With that said, I turned around, narrowly avoiding the disappointed look in his eyes.

...GLEE

When I arrived home, the only thing on my mind was the incident in glee club. More specifically, Rachel Berry was on my mind. If I had taken his insane advice and actually wrote her a letter, what would I say? I had no idea where to even begin with such a thing.

I sat down on my bed and rifled through my backpack for a notebook. Getting settled into my covers, I grabbed a pen and put it to my lips, deep in thought. After a minute of thinking, I began to write.

'Rachel Berry, I hate you. Rachel Berry, you suck. Man-Hands, I'm glad you're gone.'

With a disgruntled sigh, I crumpled up the piece of paper and tossed it across the room, and drew out a new sheet.

'Rachel Berry, why did you leave?'

Crumple, toss.

'I really miss you, Rachel Berry.'

** ...GLEE!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I apologize for the delay. Severe writer's block coupled with school = lame times. Anyway, for those of you still reading this, you're super awesome. I hope you all enjoy it! I also want to thank the person who got a hold of me via AIM. You definitely pushed me to write faster, haha. **

While Brittany was away discussing important matters with her cat, I decided that it was time to make my room truly mine. I went about setting things up to match the way I had them home, simply to provide a measure of comfort. I knew it wouldn't be the same of course, given the fact that Dad and Daddy weren't here, but I figured that this was a start to making my room feel like a second home. Just as I was done putting on the finishing touches, Brittany walked in, a small smile on her face.

"How did everything go? I take it Lord Tubbington is doing well?"

She nodded and tossed her phone to the bed.

"Yeah. He was just really sad because I forgot to call him. I told him it was 'cause I was really excited about having a new roommate, and he sounded happy for me."

I stared at her blankly, and then gave her a wide smile. Though I was starting to get used to Brittany's rather random and odd comments and behavior, she still managed to catch me off guard. Before I was able to respond, she let out a loud squeal and hopped out of the bed.

"Rachel. Your side looks awesome!"

I clasped my hands together and watched as Brittany walked around my side of the room, taking in every detail. She ooh'ed and ahh'ed at all of my trophies and plaques, and finally stopped to look at all of my pictures.

"This is me, winning first place at the tender age of 3. These are my fathers when they were younger. And this...I forgot I had this. I meant to have it cropped before I put it up."

Brittany frowned and moved in close to get a better look.

"Who are these people, Rachel? They don't seem very nice."

The picture she was referring to was one of my favorites, although if you looked closely, you would see a couple of cheerleaders in the background making obscene gestures.

"Yes, well. They aren't exactly the nicest people in the world. One of them...well, she has a hard exterior, but I can tell that underneath all of that bravado, lies a sweet person. It's unfortunate that she rarely decides to show it."

Brittany pulled the picture from the full-length mirror and walked over to her bed.

"Is it okay if I fix this for you? I could cut them out of the picture, and give it a really nice border."

In that moment I realized that if I had had a friend at McKinley High who was half as kind as Brittany was, I probably wouldn't have left. Maybe I had endured all of the torture at McKinley simply to understand what it was like to have a true friend.

"Thank you, Brittany. That's very kind of you."

Brittany shrugged and put the picture aside.

"It's no biggie, Rach. I just want you to be happy here. That picture will remind you of all the bad times that you had at your old school. If it's okay, can you tell me about those people in the picture?"

I sighed and brushed my hair back, mentally preparing myself.

"Well, as I said, one of the girls has an incredibly tough exterior. It's like she's constantly on guard. She isn't one to let people get close to her emotionally. There were a few times when I felt a small amount of hope that we could one day be friends, but I was shot down each time. It didn't really help my situation that I was incredibly attracted to her, both physically and intellectually. Ahem. Moving on."

Brittany shuffled over to my bed and sat down, nodding for me to continue.

"The other girl...well, she and I have never gotten along. She just dislikes every part of me, which is fine. I never really expected us to bloom into best friends. She and this other girl are partners in crime. They watch each other's backs. As for the rest of the club, no one ever appreciated my talent. They never gave me the time of day, even though I knew I could lead them to victory."

Brittany scooted closer to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders.

"I'm sorry they were such jerks. What were their names? If I ever meet them on the street, it's totally goin' down."

I smiled at Brittany's declaration, and didn't doubt it for a second.

"Well, the head cheerleader's name is Quinn, and her sidekick's name is S-"

A knock on the door stopped me before I could finish. I hopped up from my bed and answered the door, a surprised look on my face when I saw who it was.

"Hadley, Cameron. To what do we owe this spontaneous visit?"

Hadley placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle, while Cameron stood there, hands on hips, glancing in Brittany's direction.

"Oh, wow. Your rooms looks amazing. You certainly have an eye for interior design. May we come in?"

I glanced at Brittany for approval, but she was apparently more interested in something on the rug.

"Sure, yes. Come on it. I apologize for the mess. I only just now started setting everything up."

Hadley shook her head as she walked by me, straight to my bed.

"Nonsense, Rachel. It all looks amazing."

Cameron strode past me and walked over to where Brittany was sitting, intent on getting her attention.

"I apologize for our stopping in so suddenly. I just couldn't seem to get the new transfer student off of my mind."

I couldn't help but blush at her comment. No one had ever taken such an interest in me, and no one had ever been quite so forward. I have to admit, it was exciting.

"So I was wondering. Would you like to come with me to meet the glee club teacher? I'm sure she's dying to meet you."

I looked over at Brittany once more to see how she felt.

"It's okay, Rach. Go on with Hadley. It's a good idea to meet Miss Summers before we have an actual meeting."

I glanced at her once more before grabbing my phone and heading for the door. A part of me really didn't want to leave her alone with Cameron, but I couldn't figure out why.

"I have my phone on me. Call if you need anything."

Brittany nodded once more, and I followed Hadley into the hallway.

...GLEE

"What are you doing, Cameron? I've told you so many times, I'm just not interested."

Cameron turned around angrily and met Brittany's eyes.

"What does she have that I don't have, Brittany? I'm here with you, right now. She's not. She doesn't care about you like I do!"

Brittany jumped up to meet Cameron's steely gaze.

"She loves me! Just because she can't be here right now doesn't change that. She loves me. I love her. That's how it is."

Cameron scoffed before taking a step backwards.

"Who the hell are you trying to convince, Brittany? It's because of her that you got kicked out of McKinley in the first place! She was careless. She was careless because she doesn't feel what I feel for you. Why can't you see that?"

Brittany shook her head and pointed to the door.

"Just leave. I'm tired of having this conversation day after day. Santana loves me, Cameron. She loves me for who I am, and I love her for who she is. Just because we can't be together right now doesn't make it any less true."

Cameron clenched her fists together in an attempt to control the anger that was currently bubbling out of her.

"She's going to break your heart, you know. She did it once. She'll do it again."

With that said, she stomped angrily towards the door, and into her own room where the sound of a door being slammed echoed throughout the hallway.

Brittany sighed and fell against her bed, her cellphone in hand.

'I miss you so much.'

...GLEE.

Hadley had shown me the parts of the building that Brittany had forgotten, and finally led me to the school's choir room.

"Well, this is it. Miss Summers is in there right now, probably preparing some songs for us. Go introduce yourself. I'll be right behind you."

I smiled and opened the door, a look of awe on my face.

The choir room in this school was just so...nice. From the chairs that were lined up down to the grand piano, practically everything looked brand new. Off to the side of the room was a large desk, and sitting at it was a small red headed woman. She looked up when she heard us enter, and smiled widely.

"Hadley, it's so good to see you. And this must be our new student, Rachel."

I walked forward and put my hand out to meet hers.

"Hello Miss Summers. My name is Rachel Berry, and I would just like to say what an honor it is to finally meet you, and I hope that this glee club will benefit from my presence, as I'm sure I will benefit from the club itself, and I would also like to take this opportunity to list off many of my previous performances, starting with-"

I was once again cut off mid sentence, this time it was Hadley's hand on my shoulder that stopped me.

"Rachel, Rachel, it's fine. She knows how talented you are. I gave her the rundown of the new student already."

I looked up at Hadley, slightly surprised.

"You did?"

She smiled down at me and then rolled her eyes.

"Of course I did. I needed to know more about my competition. Can never be too careful, you know."

Miss Summers walked towards me, smile still in place.

"We'll obviously have to have an audition, but I can tell already that you'll have no trouble getting in. I look forward to hearing you perform."

I stepped forward, barely able to contain my smile, and put my hand out once more.

"It was really great to meet you. I look forward to performing with you soon!"

I turned away from Miss Summers to see Hadley looking at me, her eyes sparkling. I walked up to her, trying to stop smiling.

"How was I? Was I too much? Did I go overboard?"

She stepped forward quickly and placed her hands firmly on my shoulders.

"Rachel, it's fine. You were perfect."

I let out a high pitched noise of happiness before darting forward to wrap her in a hug. When I realized what it was I was doing exactly, I pulled away quickly.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to- I was just so-"

"Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong."

I scoffed lightly before turning around, speaking more to myself than to Hadley.

"If that had been Quinn, I probably wouldn't be alive right now."

I didn't think she heard me, but her questioning look gave it away.

"Who did you say just now?"

I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

"It was just this girl that I knew from my previous school. You remind me of her, but at the same time, you're so different. If I had hugged her like that, she wouldn't have reacted well."

Hadley smiled and took my hand gently.

"It's okay, Rachel. You don't ever have to apologize for hugging me. That's just silly. In fact, I'd be happy if it was something you did more often. Forget about that girl. Hey, you know what? I bet after all that excitement, you're probably hungry. Let me take you to get something to eat."

A part of me was prepared to pinch myself once more to be sure that this wasn't a dream. Instead of doing so, I allowed her to take my hand and lead me to the cafeteria.

If I hadn't thought this school was perfect before, I certainly did now, especially after seeing their extensive list of Vegan friendly meals. Hadley and I grabbed our plates, and headed for a table. We immediately jumped into conversation, none of it feeling forced. She told me about her parents and their decision to send her here, and she told me about her love for singing and cheering. It was when I asked her why she was so passionate about it, that I noticed a change in her mood.

"Cheering and singing have always been my favorite things. They're what I'm good at, and they're what I love. It's just...when I was younger, there was this girl who was in every one of my singing classes, and attended each cheer practice. She was always better than me. No matter what we were competing for, she always came out the victor. Eventually it became too much for me, and I ended up transferring. Now, no matter what I'm competing for, I always try my best, and come out on top. I picture that girl's face, and how she always seemed to look down on me. That's what gets me through."

I reached across the table and took her hand gently.

"I'm sorry. It sounds like that must have been rough for you. If you don't mind my asking, what was the girl's name?"

Hadley rubbed her nose before looking up to meet my eyes.

"Lucy. Her name was Lucy."

...GLEE.

By the time Hadley and I had finished talking, it was already dark outside. She escorted me to my room, and once again kissed the back of my hand.

"I had a really great time, Rachel. I hope that one day soon you'll let me take you out for a meal outside of this place." The half smile she was giving me was enough to make me melt inside, but I did my best to hide it. We parted ways, and I opened the door to my room as quietly as I could.

From what I could tell, Brittany was already fast asleep. I paused for a moment and heard her quiet breaths before setting my stuff down softly and getting into bed. I had been lying there for what felt like an hour, thinking over the events of the day. I couldn't stop the content smile that made its way onto my face. I had been about to drift off when I heard it. At first I thought I was dreaming, but the tapping noise became more incessant.

Tink, tink.

I glanced over at Brittany, and whispered her name harshly.

"Brittany. Brittany, do you hear that?"

She snored in response and I grumbled softly. My initial reaction was one of fear, but confidence and curiosity soon overtook me, and I ventured towards the noise. The closer I got, the louder the noise became. I soon found myself situated in front of the large window of our room. I took a deep breath before opening the curtains. Nothing could prepare me for what was waiting outside of my window, and I let loose a scream that was sure to wake the entire dormitory.

"SANTANA?"

"BERRY?"

...GLEE!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: You guys are absolutely amazing. The reviews that I got for the last chapter made me smile like a goof pretty much all day. And by the way, you Santana haters out there are breaking my heart! She's my favorite character :( I'm mostly just messing. Hate away. I know she hasn't been the sweetest person as of late, but it's definitely going to change. Now, as Finn would say, this shows gotta go all over the place or something!**

...GLEE!

"SANTANA?"

"BERRY?"

"Okay. This is just a nightmare. It was a long day, and this is obviously the result of lack of sleep. I'm going back to my bed, and you're going to disappear. Okay. Here I go."

I took a few steps towards my bed, only to be stopped by Brittany.

"Rach, it's okay. It's just Santana. I probably should have warned you that she comes to my window almost every night. It's so normal for me that I forgot to mention it."

I took a deep breath before turning to Brittany.

"Brittany. What is Santana Lopez doing at your window? Did you come here to torment me? I came here to get away from you people!"

Santana jumped into the room and shut the window behind her.

"Chill out, dwarf. I'm here for Britts. I had no idea that you were shacking up here. Get over yourself."

And then something happened. Something I would have never imagined, not in a million years.

Santana took a few steps until she was in front of Brittany, and then pulled her in for a hug. Brittany then pulled away from her, and then moved in closer to give her a gentle kiss on the lips.

After five uncomfortable minutes of staring with my mouth agape, I finally closed it and moved to sit on my bed.

"You...and Santana. I never would have thought. So I take it that you're the best friend? The _sweet_ best friend that I would get along with? The one from the picture."

Santana turned to me, her arms crossed over her chest, and her signature glare on her face.

"What are you talking about, Berry?"

After looking around, she finally spotted the picture of her and Brittany on the camping trip. The second she spotted it, her frown dropped, and was replaced immediately with a smile. Bi-polar. The girl was definitely bi-polar.

"Aww, Britts. You kept the picture."

Brittany walked up behind Santana and placed her arms around her waist.

"Of course I d id. It's my favorite."

The Twilight Zone. I was in the Twilight Zone. The scene before me wasn't happening. As far as I was concerned, Santana Lopez wasn't human. A robot with no human emotions? Sure. A really really mean robot? Definitely. A really sweet person with a partner like Brittany? Absolutely not.

"Will someone please explain this to me, as I am completely lost."

Brittany finally seemed to realize what was going on, when she finally disentangled herself from Santana's waist.

"Wait, Rachel, you know Santana? San? What's going on?"

I crossed my arms and stared Santana down. She mirrored my stance, and I began to speak.

"It's because of her and a few other people that I was forced to leave McKinley. You recall the sidekick I spoke of? Well, here she is."

Santana began to look uncomfortable as Brittany's questioning gaze fell upon her. She looked from Santana back to me, and repeated this a few times.

"San, is this true? Were you one of the people who bullied Rachel?"

Santana glared at me and then gave Brittany what I assumed to be her pleading/begging face.

Is it wrong to say that I was happy that Brittany wasn't falling for it?

Santana looked between the two of us before letting out a strangled noise.

"Okay, yes. I was one of those people. I'm not proud of it. It's just something we did to pass the time. Brittany, you gotta believe me!"

Brittany pulled away from Santana and sat on her bed.

"San, how could you be so mean to her? Rachel is one of the most awesomest people that I've ever met."

Santana let out a noise that sounded akin to a sob and fell to Brittany's knees.

"Brittany, please. It wasn't anything serious. We never meant for it to go this far. Please, Britt. Look at me."

Brittany turned to Santana, a stern look on her face.

"I'm guessing it was you and Quinn, right?"

Santana hung her head and then whispered a 'yes' that was barely audible.

I cocked my head to the side and looked at Brittany.

"Wait. Brittany, how do you know Quinn?"

Brittany, who still wasn't looking at Santana, turned to face me, her eyes laced in sadness.

"We were all really close when I went to McKinley. The Unholy Trinity, that's what they called us. We were all inseparable until my parents made me switch schools."

Brittany finally looked down at Santana, and took her hands in between her own.

"You went to McKinley? I don't remember ever seeing you. Then again, it's probably because I avoided the Cheerios at all costs. If I may ask, why did your parents make you come here?"

Santana looked off to the side of the room and scoffed. She paused to wipe away the moisture that had gathered in her eyes, and began to speak.

"It's because of what you just saw. Britts and I were studying in her room one night, and one thing led to another...and then her parents walked in. They threw me out, and sent Brittany here."

Brittany brushed her hands through Santana's hair softly, and for a short moment, I was jealous of what they had.

"Santana's sneaking in is the only way we're able to see one another. We have to be careful though, because Cameron seems to know when San is going to show up, and she has a big mouth."

Santana slammed a fist into her hand and snarled.

"Is that bitch still giving you problems? Please. Just let me beat her up a little bit. Please? It can be like, a birthday present or something."

Brittany finally smiled, but shook her head.

"No fighting, Santana. It'll just make for bad times for us in the future. Anyway, enough about her. We need to talk about you and Rachel."

Santana rolled her eyes and stepped back.

"I already apologized. What more do you want from me?"

If Brittany didn't look so angry, I probably would have laughed at Santana's childish pout.

"Santana. You know that feeling you get when people call me names behind my back? When they call me stupid, or even the 'r' word."

"Stop! Brittany, don't say that. I told you, don't ever listen to that shit! And I told you to tell me when people say things like that!"

This was a side of Santana I never expected to see. Such a fierce passion when it came to Brittany threw me aback. I guess you never really do know a person completely.

"It doesn't really bother me like it used to. I know that I'm not one of the most smartest people out there, but that doesn't matter to me. My point is, I don't have to worry about people saying mean things because I have Rachel here. She's like, a smaller, Jewish version of you. You should have seen the glare she gave Cameron. You would have been proud."

Santana looked at me, still not fully convinced.

"You did that for my girl? Stood up to that bitch?"

I shook my hair to the side and stood up straight.

"Of course I did. Brittany is my best friend, and I will always be there when she needs me."

Santana's glare dropped, and for a moment, I saw the real girl behind the angry mask. This girl was scared and unsure, but also overflowing with love.

"Thank you, Ber...Rachel. Thank you for doing that. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry for the way we treated you. For the way _I_ treated you."

A part of me couldn't believe that this was happening, that Santana Lopez was apologizing to me. I wasn't about to let her off that easily, but I could see the sincerity in her eyes, and figured I could at least work on forgiving her.

Brittany clapped her hands together and cheered.

"Okay! Time to hug it out! Let's go, you two."

Santana's face twisted into a look of terror, and she backed up.

"Britts, I just don't think we're ready for that step in our new...friendship. Maybe in a year or two."

I smiled, but shrugged it off. It would be a process.

"So...Rachel." She said my name hesitatingly, as if testing it on her tongue. "Do you miss McKinley? I know most of the glee club misses you."

I looked up at her, shock on my face.

"You say most missed me? That's a shock in itself. What about the rest?"

Santana sighed and leaned back on Brittany's bed.

"Quinn is the rest. She's been so annoying since you left. One minute she's angry, the next minute she's a complete mopey mess. It's exhausting to look at her."

Normally, words come to me at the speed of light, but what Santana had said left me speechless.

What was going on in the mind of Quinn Fabray? Why was she acting this way? Maybe she was going through bullying withdrawals. That was definitely a possibility.

"Yeah, it's irritating, to say the least. It's always 'Rachel this, and Rachel that.' Blah, blah."

"She...she talks about me?"

Santana gave me the 'duh' face and continued on.

"She won't say it, but I know that she misses you. Quinn tries her best to hide her feelings, but honestly, she kind of sucks at it. Oh, man, it was awesome! The other day in the lunch room, we were walking to our table, and I was all like 'Hey look, is that Berry?' And Quinn dropped her tray and damn near pulled a muscle looking for you. Pa-rice-less."

Brittany gently swatted at Santana, and Santana feigned being hurt.

"That's not nice, San. You know Quinn is fragile."

Santana scoffed and hopped off of the bed.

"Yeah, totally fragile. Especially that fragile fist that almost broke my jaw."

I shook my head and frowned. There was no way that I was going to buy into any of this.

"Quinn Fabray hates me. I don't know what it is that you think you're seeing, but you're completely and utterly wrong."

Santana put her hands up in mock surrender.

"I know Quinn really well, Berry. She doesn't know how to deal with her feelings, so she goes on a complete trip where she punishes herself. It's all so gross to watch. Anywho. I gotta blow this joint before the ogre across the hall realizes I'm here and decides she wants to skewer me. Pft. As if."

Brittany got up to meet Santana, and I once again felt like I shouldn't have been in the room. Before Santana was able to window hop, we heard the door knob to our room start to turn, and Santana dived behind a chair.

"Rachel, Brittany? Are you guys alright? We thought we heard a scream. We wanted to make sure that you two were alright."

Hadley and Cameron rushed in, clad in nothing but pajamas that weren't exactly modest. I blushed immediately and turned away. Cameron walked up to Brittany, but Brittany moved quickly away from her. Cameron frowned, and moved back towards the door. Hadley walked up to me, concern written across her brow.

"Rachel, are you alright?"

I smiled at her genuine tone, and nodded my head.

"Yes, we're both fine. Thank you for your concern. I was simply startled awake by a nightmare, but Brittany was right by my side."

Hadley leaned in and kissed my cheek softly.

"Come and get me if you can't sleep. I wouldn't mind helping you out."

With those words hanging in the air, both Cameron and Hadley retreated to their room, shutting our door softly behind them. After a few minutes of waiting until it was safe, Santana came out from behind the chair.

"That disgusting little ho. Both of them! Can't keep it in their pants for a goddamn minute! Sounds like she wants to get her lips wet with a little Berry juice, if you get my meaning."

I ignored the perverse comment and looked up at Santana questioningly.

"You know Hadley?"

She once again pulled a face, and headed towards the window.

"All I know is that Quinn is going to flip when I tell her what I just saw. Oh, this is going to be so sweet."

I was about to stop her and ask her what she meant, but she was already half way out of the window. Before she was gone, she lifted her fingers to her lips, and threw a kiss in Brittany's direction in a dramatic fashion.

"Baby! Much love. Until tomorrow night! Berry- er, Rachel? Peace."

Brittany giggled as Santana hopped through the window and shut it gently behind her. She turned to me, her eyes swirling with many emotions.

"I'm sorry Rachel. If I had known that it was Santana and Quinn who were behind all of the mean bullying, I would have tried to stop it sooner."

I put my hands up and shook my head, walking towards her.

"Brittany, none of it is your fault. It was just the result of two very bored cheerleaders with nothing better to do with their time, apparently. I can't say that I forgive Santana, and I hope you understand. It'll be a process. A very long process. Today I saw a glimpse of the true person beneath that snarl, and I have to admit, I liked what I saw."

Brittany nodded her head up and down quickly and shrugged.

"Yeah I totally understand, Rach. I'm actually glad that you didn't give in so easily. Make her earn your friendship. It'll be worth it for both of you in the end."

Though Brittany's odd comments never failed to throw me off, no part of this girl before me was deserving of the hurtful remarks that were hurled her way. How anyone could insult someone so caring was beyond me.

"So...how about Quinn?"

Quinn Fabray. An anomaly. An enigma, of sorts. A person who treated me like I was nothing one minute, and then did a complete 180 and showed me a different side of herself. Quinn Fabray, a girl who had trouble showing her true emotions to people. Quinn Fabray, a girl who hid behind a thick, armored wall of contempt. Quinn Fabray...who was, at the end of the day, just a girl. Of most things in life, I was entirely certain. Concerning my future as a star, I had it all figured out. Concerning Quinn...I felt as though I had been thrown into a deep fog, one in which I would occasionally catch glimpses of her, and then just as quickly as she had appeared, she was gone again. It was beyond frustrating.

A part of me knew that I shouldn't care about her. A part of me knew that it would probably be best to just forget that she ever existed. For a reason that seemed beyond my reach, I couldn't get her off of my mind. Quinn was on a path of destruction, and I was concerned. And Santana. Ugh. She had to go and open her big mouth once again, and tell me that Quinn, of all people, _missed_ me.

It was just so wrong.

It was too much information all at once. Too much to focus on. My only theory was that Quinn missed having her personal punching bag around. That was it. I couldn't afford to make more of it than what it actually was. This was the start of my new life. I had new friends, New classes, and now...Hadley. Whatever she was to me, or whatever she was becoming, it wasn't fair to focus on Quinn at the moment.

I turned to Brittany and sighed.

"Quinn...she's in the past. Whatever transpired between the two of us is firmly in the past. It has to be."

Brittany nodded and slipped back into bed.

"It's okay. I understand. Have a good night, Rachel."

I wished her a goodnight and wrapped my blankets tightly around my body, and fell hard into dream land. Trophies and medals floated around my head in droves, and the applause from the crowd filled my ears. I was greeted by my parents, smiles covering their faces. And then, from the back of the crowd, a girl walked up to me, and pulled me into a tight embrace. The love radiating off of this girl felt so real that I was awoken almost immediately. The last thing I remembered was blonde hair, and the most beautiful green eyes I have ever gazed into.

...GLEE.

Though she had frequented this house like it was her own, she still felt as though she was a vandal, preparing herself to rob the current inhabitant blind. Here she was, once again, sneaking in through someone's window. She was a firm believer that the front door was for pansies, anyway. At least when it came to houses.

She opened the window carefully, and tiptoed around to the queen sized bed. The occupant was currently scrunched up into a fetal position, squeezing the life out of a pink teddy bear. Santana quietly 'awwe'd' before taking a picture with her cellphone, and then snatched the bear away from the slumbering girl, and tossed it across the room.

"Yo, Q. Q-Ball. Q-tip. You awake? Come on, wakey wakey, I got some important news."

Quinn stirred slightly, but went right on snoring.

Santana, evil gleam appearing in her eyes, leaned down until her mouth was level with Quinn's exposed ear. Before she spoke, she apologized profusely to a Brittany that wasn't currently present.

"I banged Rachel Berry."

Not a second later, Quinn jumped out of bed, her eyes wide with fear.

"Santana! What the hell are you doing here! Why can't you ever call first like a normal person?"

Santana shrugged and hopped into Quinn's bed, and fully extended herself in a comfortable position.

"Eh, you know me. Calling and knocking are far too boring. Gotta spice it up a bit, you know?"

Quinn glared heatedly before shoving Santana out of the bed, and getting comfortable once more. Santana hit the ground with a resounding thud. She glared at Quinn before dusting herself off, and then sat on the edge of the bed, a safe distance away.

"You're lucky you didn't damage the goods. Someone would have been preeeettty unhappy with you."

Quinn chuckled softly before turning to face Santana.

"How is Brittany, anyway? Did you scare her like you scared me?"

Santana pulled a face, and then went into serious mode.

"Well, it started out fine. Totes getting our mack on, but then the funniest thing happened. We were interrupted...by a little hobbit-like creature. Who, by the way, almost ruined my game."

Quinn raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"What are you talking about? Is it Brittany's new roommate?"

Santana put her face in her hands, and began to mumble to herself.

"Why, oh why, am I surrounded by idiots? I guess it's my curse to be the hot _and_ smart one. Listen to me, Quinn. Watch my lips, okay? A hobbit-like creature has taken up residence with my Britt-Britt. A hobbit that we _know, _is now living with Brittany."

Realization hit Quinn like a ton of bricks. Her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, and her mouth formed into a giant 'O.'

Santana nodded sagely, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, I know. That was kind of my reaction, too."

Santana stared at her friend, wondering what was currently going through her mind.

"Listen, Quinn. I sort of..uhm, I sorta apologized to her. Berry, I mean. Turns out that skank Cameron is trying to make a play for Brittany again, and Rachel was right by her side. They're total BFFS now, and ...I'm kind of happy about it. I feel like I don't have to be there 24/7, ya know?"

Quinn scoffed before picking at an imaginary piece of lint.

"That doesn't surprise me. Rachel may be annoying, and she may never stick up for herself, but she's never had a problem sticking up for other people."

Santana nodded once more, and continued on.

"There's something else, too. While I was busy playing hide and seek behind a chair, I heard something that almost made me projectile vomit. Hadley was there."

Quinn smiled in the manner of a true HBIC.

"Is she still the under dog who couldn't quite make it?"

Santana cleared her throat, and smoothed her hair back.

"Well, no. Not exactly. I mean yeah, she's still a total loser with a capital 'L', but it seems she's taken interest in one pint sized Jew. Believe me, Quinn. She was all up on Berry, and Berry wasn't saying no."

Quinn gulped audibly before letting out a deep breath as slowly as she could muster.

"That's...lovely. Really. Best news I've heard all day. Now please, can I go back to sleep?"

Santana gently shoved Quinn until she got back up once more.

"Well. There's one more small thing. I also sort of told Rachel...thatyoumissedher."

Quinn leaned forward and poked a finger hard against Santana's chest.

"Please repeat that last part."

"Ugh, I told her that you missed her! Feel free to go all Hulk-Quinn, but you know it's true. You haven't been the same since Berry left, and I just wanted to help you."

Quinn rolled her eyes and huffed to herself.

"Quinn, you don't have to say anything. I'm your best friend; I know you. I'm not saying that you should pull up in your porche to whisk her away. Just...come with me tomorrow night on my visit to Britts. Just come see her. It'll make you feel better, I promise. If it doesn't...then I'll pay for a months' worth of meals at Breadstix."

Quinn rolled her eyes once more, and tried her hardest to say no. She tried with all her might, and yet that simple two letter word seemed light years away.

"Yes. Fine. I'll come with you. To see her...to see Berry." She cleared her throat softly. "To see Rachel."

Santana fist pumped into the air before once again heading towards the open window.

"Okay. I would totally love to curl up and spoon with you, but I prefer _hot_ blondes. Later, Fabray."

Quinn sighed deeply at her friend's antics, and tried once more to get comfortable.

She dreamed of Cheerleading Championships won, and the perfect pyramid. She took in everything that the crowd gave her, and paused in mid cheer when a girl from said crowd approached her quickly.

Though the girl was small in stature, she made up for it in strength, or so Quinn thought when the girl pulled her into a tight hug. Quinn, not one for such public displays, jerked awake immediately. Her fleeting thoughts were of silky brown hair, and chocolate eyes that seemed to look into her very soul.

**...GLEE!**

**Yeah, I know that some of you probably hate me. All together there are three transfers: Britts, Hadley, and Rachel. I promise that's all there will be. Personally, I feel that all three were necessary, and I'm sure you guys will too, when more of the story is posted. Once again, you guys are super awesome. I'd love it if you reviewed, but if you don't, it's all good. I'm glad you took the time to read my story. Much love everyone.**


	6. Flashbacks

**These are two flashbacks that I feel are important, and may help to clarify some things. It'll give you more insight into the relationship between Hadley and Quinn, and leave you all to wonder who Rachel should truly be with. Next real chapter will be up soon. Lemme know how you feel about this!**

Hadley/Lucy Fabray

She was a sweet girl. A girl overflowing with love for her family and friends. A girl with ambition that was unmarred by scorn or deceit. A girl who never had it all, but never really minded. Until _she_ came along. She was, by every definition of the word, a demon in disguise.

Hadley Spencer Wilde, a rosy cheeked 10 year old girl with hair the color of hay and eyes of the bluest ocean. A girl with a passion for singing, dancing, and gymnastics, never knew what hit her. That sweet girl was so innocent to all of the evils that the world had to offer, but soon learned that not everyone was who they appeared to be.

It was on the day of her first real audition that she learned what true contempt felt like, though she didn't know the exact word for what she was feeling.

Her voice was angelic; many people had said so. Upon first inspection, one would say that her voice rivaled the beauty of bells blowing softly in the wind. Given the many positive reactions that she received for her singing ability, her parents decided it was time for her to shine in front of a real audience. She practiced and practiced for the part. She sang until she went hoarse. She put all of the energy she could muster into simply being perfect. She knew that her parents wanted this for her; with the spirit of any child trying impress one's parents, she gave it her all.

The audition went well. Actually, it went better than she or her parents could have ever anticipated. It was at that point that everyone thought that victory was in the bag. And then it happened. A late audition that forever shaped her as a person.

In rushed a man in a suit and a woman following closely behind him. Barely noticeable was the small girl that was wedged in between the two, doing her best to keep up. The girl was small in height, but round on the edges. Her blonde hair shone brightly beneath the bright lights of the room; her eyes were a green that resembled freshly mowed grass, but had a hardness to them that Hadley didn't quite understand. Hadley looked on with interest. Another person was here to perform? Maybe they could be friends! She loved meeting new people, especially people that liked the things that she liked.

The plump girl stood behind who Hadley assumed was her mother, clearly not wanting to move. The woman looked behind her, a look of annoyance on her face.

"Lucy. Let's go."

The man sighed deeply and turned to the girl.

"No more playing around. You are a Fabray. Get up there and show them how a Fabray does it."

Lucy, still looking like she was about to bolt, made her way to the middle of the room. Hadley's eyes met Lucy's for the briefest of moments, and she smiled. Lucy averted her eyes, and began to sing.

Hadley's jaw dropped in awe when the girl before her began to sing. If everyone who heard her sing felt what she was feeling now, she finally understood why they made such a big deal out of her talent.

Flawless. The girl before her was flawless. In her eyes, Lucy's voice put her own to shame, but she didn't mind. She was enjoying the song, and the way Lucy had transformed when she was in front of an audience. While she had resembled a timid field mouse upon her initial entrance into the room, she now commanded the stage with a presence that demanded attention.

When the song was over, every person in the room had applauded, including Hadley herself. The Fabrays and the Wildes sat with anticipation for the final decision of who had won the part. After a few minutes of waiting, they got their answer. The director entered the room, a smile on his face.

"While both girls were outstanding, I'm afraid I must choose only one of them for this part. Lucy Fabray? Amazing job, young lady. I expect to see you at rehearsal next week. Good job Hadley; you're a talented young woman."

The Fabray parents looked to one another, smug smiles on their faces. The Wilde parents smiled and told their daughter that there would always be a next time. Before Lucy Fabray had exited the room, Hadley rushed up to her, her eyes sparkling.

"Hey! You were amazing! Do you think you'd wanna hang out sometime, maybe sing a little bit?"

Lucy looked on, a shocked expression covering her face. Before she was able to speak, her father poked back into the room, irritation lacing his words.

"Lucy. Your mother and I are leaving. What's going on here?"

Lucy looked to her father, her eyes apologetic. "Nothing, father." She turned back to Hadley, her eyes mean."I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to talk to losers. Better luck next time." With that hanging in the air, she exited the room with her father, leaving a very confused Hadley in her wake.

For Hadley, singing was now a thing of the past. She no longer sang for friends or family, or even for herself when she was feeling blue. When she tried, the only thing that came to mind was the image of one Lucy Fabray, tearing her down. Her parents noticed the change in their daughter, and pushed her to pursue another one of her hobbies that she was passionate about.

Enter gymnastics. Hadley was a naturally athletic girl with a penchant for all things sporty. Gymnastics was something she had put off to the side when she began to sing, but it was now all that she focused on. She attended every meet, and practiced until her muscles begged her to stop.

The day to prove herself came, and she faced it with renewed confidence. They would be facing off against a rival gymnastics team, and really, she felt no reservations. Now would be her time to shine.

She made her way onto the floor and began the routine that she had practiced time and time again. Each flip and turn was nailed perfectly. She reached the end of her routine, the big finish, when disaster struck. She made the mistake of turning to glance at the audience, and spotted the girl who appeared numerous times in her dreams and nightmares.

The girl in question was standing there, her arms crossed over her chest, a cocky smile on her face. Though it was most definitely the girl from her past, she had made a few changes. She had lost a few pounds, and now stood with a confidence that was overpowering. She looked on, her eyebrow raised, her eyes tearing Hadley apart. Her concentration now fully on Lucy, she failed to notice that the end of the mat was quickly approaching. Before she was able to stop, her footing betrayed her, and she fell into the crowd.

There was a collective gasp from the crowd when she fell, but one distinct laugh that tore through and pierced her ears. She looked up from her crouched position on the ground, meeting the eyes of the person cruel enough to laugh.

Lucy stood there, eyes sparkling and a smile on her face. She looked down at Hadley, and clapped lightly. Hadley turned away, tears of her own threatening to spill, and rushed out of the room. Her parents consoled her once more, but she wanted none of it. She threw herself in front of the television to take her mind off of the events of the day. She flipped through mindlessly, looking for nothing in particular...until, the name that she grew to hate, flashed on the screen.

"Lucy Fabray, 1st place, Lima gymnastics' team

A few years passed, and Hadley Wilde was a different person. She grew from that sweet little girl into a young woman full of envy and contempt. Though there was a time when she would avoid any competition where Lucy's name was mentioned, she now searched for it, desperately wanting her chance to prove herself.

Her time came during a Cheer competition. She wasn't expecting to see Lucy there, so her shock was genuine, as was her excitement. The rain fell heavily that day, and much to her disappointment, the competition was canceled and rescheduled for another day.

Hadley would steal glances at Lucy, an angry snarl on her face. She wanted to _prove_ herself, and here was her only chance being taken away. Lucy finally looked up at Hadley and waved to her, sneer firmly in place. It was in that moment that Hadley had had enough. She ran up to Lucy, fist ready to fly, when she was tackled from the side by an unknown force.

The judges had seen what she was going to do, and she was disqualified from competing. Hadley jumped up and glared at the person who had tackled her.

"Just what the hell did you think you were doing? Who the hell are you? You should have let me...! Ugh!"

The force that had hit Hadley from the side came in the form of a thin Latina girl, with eyes the color of rolling fog.

"My name is Cameron Ramirez, and I was trying to stop you from making a huge mistake."

Hadley glared at the girl, and stalked up to Lucy.

Water and dirt soaked her uniform, and her makeup ran in rivulets down her face.

"You listen to me, Lucy Fabray, and you listen well. There will come a day when there is something you want more than anything else in this sad world. Something that you would gladly give your life for. I swear to you, right here and now, that I will be there to rip that thing away from you. I will tear it away, and make it my own, and I will make you feel _empty_ inside. You remember this." She stomped away with Cameron in tow, leaving Lucy behind, a look of nervous apprehension clouding her usual look of surety.

...GLEE!

Brittany Pierce/Santana Lopez

"Okay, so, when we divide this number by this number...we get...grapefruit? No, that's not right. San!"

Brittany S. Pierce lay on her bed, face currently buried deep within her text book. She scrunched her face up, knitted her brow together, but neither tactic produced the answer she needed. She turned to the other person in the room, and pouted her lips.

"Sanny. I need your help. I just don't understand. These numbers make no sense to me."

Santana closed her book and made her way over to Brittany's bed, and sat down gently.

"Alrighty. Let's see if I can make these mean numbers make sense to you. Ahh, I see what you did. You see, when you take this number, and divide by this number, you gotta subtract here, too. That's where you made your mistake. Does it make sense now?"

Brittany lit up immediately and tackled Santana to the bed.

"San, you're awesome. You should totally be a teacher or something. But like, a nice teacher, who never gives detention."

Santana chuckled lightly, and finally realized the position that they were in. She gulped loudly, and looked up at Brittany, her eyes conveying the million and one emotions she was currently feeling.

Brittany looked down at Santana, and bit her lip seductively. She leaned down, and captured Santana's lips between her own. Santana moaned into the kiss, but pulled away a minute later.

"Britt, you know I'm totally down for this, but your parents are downstairs. What if they walk in?"

Brittany moved her hands to the bottom of Santana's shirt, and moved them slowly underneath the thin fabric. Santana sucked her breath in at the contact and looked up at Brittany, trying to get her breathing under control.

"They're outside, getting stuff ready for the cook out. They won't come up."

"But Britt-"

"No buts, Santana."

Santana gave up trying to fight it, and finally removed her own shirt and then moved to take Brittany's off. Hands wandered into familiar territory, and dared to peek into foreign. Moans were numerous, gasps were frequent. Santana rolled the two of them over, and straddled Brittany's thighs. She looked down at the blonde girl, all traces of lust firmly behind her. The look she was giving now was one of raw honesty, and she wasn't able to hide it. The love she had for this girl was too much to hold back, so she gave up trying. Santana leaned down to kiss Brittany once more, and then-

"Brittany, Santana, we're ready for—what the hell is going on in here?"

Santana gasped and hopped off of Brittany, looking around frantically for her discarded shirt.

"Mom, Dad, it's not—well, it is, but you see, I-"

Santana moved forward to speak, and was grabbed immediately by the hair by a very angry Mr. Pierce. She screamed at once, unable to pull away.

"Dad, what are you doing!"

Mr. Pierce turned to Brittany, an anger in his eyes that she had never seen before.

"You stay out of this, young lady. And you. How dare you come into my house, and defile my daughter like that. We trusted you!"

Santana tried to speak, but was cut off by Mr. Pierce shoving her towards the door.

"Dad, stop! Dad, don't, I love her!"

Mr. Pierce paused for a moment, and then spoke in a voice so low, it was almost a whisper.

"You are never to enter this household again, you understand me? And you are to never see her again. If I find out that you went behind my back...no. I won't let this happen again. You're going away, young lady, some place where this trash will never find you."

Brittany fought back a sob, and crumpled onto her bed.

Santana fought her way back into the doorway, tears streaming down her face.

"I don't care what he says, Brittany. I will always find you. Do you hear me? I will _always_ find you!"

Brittany jumped into her covers, praying that this was just a cruel nightmare. The next morning, reality hit her like a ton of bricks when her parents drove her to Dalton Academy for Girls.

She went through the day to day motions of class, feeling more like a shell than an actual person. It was one chilly night that she heard the tapping at her window. She looked over wide-eyed, and approached cautiously. The tapping at the window increased, and she pulled it up quickly, to reveal something that she could only find in her dreams. She brought her hands to her mouth to stifle the sob that threatened to wrack her body.

"I told you. I told you, no matter what happens, I will always find you. I love you, Brittany."

Brittany finally broke down and cried, strong arms enveloping her, providing the safety and solace that she longed for.

...GLEE!

**Woo. Teared up at the end of that. Okay, I hope you all liked it. I was going to write the next chapter of the story, but this was begging to be put onto paper. If you like it, I hope that you'll review. I desperately wanted a reader's opinion as to whether I should even post this. I couldn't find anyone, so, alas, here it is! Uhmm. Yeah, that's about it. Take care, guys. I'll see ya soon!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm really sorry for the delay. I had a friend staying with me for a week, and it's incredibly difficult to write when there's someone watching you, and especially so if said person is a boy. Sooo yeah. Here we go. **

Though I had experienced many changes as of late – a new school, new friends, and a new...personal interest, one thing remained a constant; my morning routine. At exactly 6:00am, my alarm went off, blaring the tune of some 80s song that I couldn't quite place. I jumped out of bed with renewed energy, and a smile across my face.

Today was my first official day of classes, and I was going to face today with nothing but a positive outlook, and my ever growing thirst for knowledge. I looked over at Brittany's sleeping form and frowned. A part of me was hoping that she, too, was an early riser, and would accompany me on a run.

I walked over to her, my hands on my hips. Leaning over slightly, I whispered softly into her ear.

"Brittany. Psst, Brittany. Are you awake?"

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Brittany S. Pierce, you are late for cheer practice!"

A split second later, Brittany was out of her bed and on her feet. A part of me almost felt bad for doing this to her, but it was in the name of fitness!

"I'm here, coach! Please don't make me run laps!"

When her eyes finally adjusted to the dark and she saw that it was only me, she let out a grumble of frustration.

"Racheeeelll. It's like, way too early to be alive. What are you doing up?" With just a little persuasion, I would have a running partner.

"Well, Brittany, I'm glad that you asked. I am a firm believer that proper nutrition and exercise are the key components in a person's success, and furthermore-"

A loud snore cut me off. While I was in the process of explaining myself, she had somehow managed to crawl deep under her covers, and back to sleep. Ah, well. There was always tomorrow. It seemed that today I would be running solo. I dressed quickly, eager to start my day.

I opened the door to our room quietly, trying not to disturb the sleeping blonde. Though I opened it slowly to avoid any and all noises, I had no doubt that Brittany would go on snoring even if I had slammed the door shut.

As I opened our door, the door across the hall opened slowly as well. I peeked my head out to see Hadley, using the same tactic I had used to exit the room. She was dressed in running attire; head band to keep her hair back, a tight black tank top, and shorts that showed off her toned legs.

I didn't know how long I had been standing there staring at her, but it was clear that she had noticed. She snapped her fingers in front of my face a few times, her eyes sparkling.

"Rachel, hey, are you alright? You kinda spaced there for a bit."

I jerked my head up and finally made real eye contact. Eye contact, which was a very bad idea. Her blue eyes locked with mine, and I couldn't tear away.

"Uh. Yes. Sorry. I guess I just haven't fully woken up yet." She brought a hand to her mouth and laughed softly.

"Sneaking out of your room, I see? Cameron and Brittany are one in the same when it comes to waking up in the morning. She generally waits until ten minutes before the last bell before she even gets ready. I, on the other hand, feel that a good run in the morning and a balanced meal are essential."

I smiled and looked down, suddenly feeling shy.

"Well, I'm glad that someone here shares my opinion on health and fitness."

During the middle of my speech, I noticed her eyes start to drop lower and lower, and then move back up to meet my eyes. I suddenly felt naked beneath her gaze. This must be the feeling a zebra gets, under the ever watchful eyes of a lion. Her eyes were hungry, and my body was the meal that they lusted over.

I cleared my throat softly and her eyes seemed to lose the haze that had previously taken over,

"Would you like to run together? Since our roommates seem to fear any time that is before noon."

She let loose a soft laugh that caressed my skin, causing immediate goosebumps. She extended her hand forward.

"So...partners, then?"

I nodded and took her outstretched hand between my own.

"Partners."

Our numerous runs around the school track were exactly what I needed to clear my mind, and Hadley kept up beautifully. She ran with determination, her stride powerful. Though I tried my best, I couldn't stop my eyes from staring at her well toned abs and backside. Each time she would question me with a raised eyebrow, I would avert my eyes and run ahead of her.

After three miles were behind us, we both slowed to a walk, attempting to catch our breaths.

"That was amazing! I'm just so used to running alone. Having a partner pushed me to run further and faster."

Hadley stopped and bent over, hands on her knees. Her words came out in pants.

"Well...Rachel...you definitely gave me a run for my money...no pun, of course."

She looked up at me suddenly, a small grin on her face.

"Was it good for you?"

I swallowed the lump that had grown in my throat, and nodded slowly.

"I hope we can do it again some time."

She stood up and stretched, and stalked past me towards the direction of the dorms.

"Of course. Now, I think it's time for a shower, because I can actually feel the sweat dripping down my back. You know, Rachel, if we shower together, we can actually save water. You seem like the environmentally friendly type. What do you say?"

When I realized what it was she was saying, I nearly tripped over my own feet.

"I...wha...huh?"

She laughed outright, and put her hands on my shoulders.

"Relax Rachel. It was just a joke. Now let's get going. If I don't wake Cameron up, she'll probably miss first period."

Ah yes. Class. School. Real life.

"Which class do you have first?"

I took a minute to think about it. I had received my schedule upon arriving, but couldn't get the words to form properly. After a minute of fumbling my words, I finally gained control over the English language once more.

"I believe I have Spanish."

"Aww, that's no good. I was hoping we would have first period together. I think Cameron has Spanish in the morning, so at least there will be someone you know."

I smiled politely and followed her off of the track. I didn't want Hadley to catch on to the fact that I felt uneasy around her friend. There was something about that girl that wasn't quite right. I figured that anyone who set Brittany on edge was definitely someone to keep an eye on.

We walked together back to the dorms, discussing everything from food to politics. She listened on with interest as I discussed my love for Barbra Streisand, never once trying to steer the conversation to something else. When I was with Hadley, no subject seemed taboo. She would listen while I ranted and raved, and never once interrupted. As I talked her ear off once again about Barbra, I failed to notice that we had reached our rooms.

I smiled up at her and blushed, remembering what usually happened next. Hadley seemed to sense this, and winked at me.

"This is the part where I would kiss you goodbye, but considering I smell like the locker room right now, I think I'll save it for later."

I tried not to show my disappointment, but I guess I failed miserably, because she began to laugh.

"I promise I'll make it up to you later. Have a good first day, Rachel."

I looked on in her direction, even as the door to her room shut. It took all of my willpower to keep from swooning. After a minute of standing in the hallway looking like a fool, I finally went inside.

I was surprised to see that the light was on and Brittany was actually awake, laying in her bed, playing with her cellphone.

"Rachel! Hey. Where did you go? I was surprised when I woke up and you weren't here. Santana said that a man named Gandalf gave you a really important mission, but I didn't understand what she meant. Oh! And she also told me to tell you "haha, just kidding, Berry.' So, where did you go?"

I let Santana's comment slide, knowing that this time it was said in a joking manner, not in a manner meant to be cruel.

"You don't remember? I woke you up this morning, and asked you to go running with me. Needless to say, you were very adamant about staying in bed."

Brittany covered her faced and groaned. "I'm sorry, Rachel. I'm not very good with mornings. Usually it takes a text from Santana to really get me up. She always says the cutest things to get me up. Today, she told me that if I woke up, she'd do that thing with her tongue that I really-"

"Oh, that's lovely! Sorry Brittany, we can finish this conversation later. I need to shower and get ready for class."

Brittany nodded and went back to her phone.

"You were out with Hadley, weren't you? I can tell, cause you're all smiley. You have the same smile on your face that Santana gets when we see each other. You really like her, huh?"

I paused before entering the bathroom, thinking hard about her question.

"I think that she is a fabulous person. She's an amazing listener, an amazing conversationalist, she's very sweet, and-"

"Not like Quinn, huh?"

I hadn't heard that name as of late, and it caught me off guard. I felt my mouth go dry, and my heart speed up. Suddenly I found myself remembering last night's dream. What that had to do with Quinn, I wasn't quite sure, but I didn't want to give it too much thought.

"Quinn...Quinn is an incredibly intelligent young woman. She is ambitious; when there is something she wants, she goes for it. On top of being a superb athlete, she is also breathtakingly gorgeous, with eyes like-"

Green eyes. The most beautiful green eyes that I have ever gazed into. Quinn...was the girl from my dream. Quinn Fabray was the girl who pulled me into her arms, and made me feel loved. She held me close and showed me what real love was. Why? Why was Quinn Fabray in my dream? Why was she _hugging_ me, and on top of that, how did she evoke such a strong feeling from me? Something that I've never felt for anyone; and yet, with Quinn, I felt safe. Loved. I turned to Brittany, my thoughts running a mile a minute.

"Well, Quinn is...that is to say, she..."

"It's okay, Rach. I was just curious. Go take your shower, and we can head to class."

I nodded at her, unable to speak. That seemed to be happening to me a lot lately, and I didn't like it. My thoughts were always clear and concise, and I always carried myself based on my ability to communicate, be it through song or rant. What was happening to me?

After my shower, I felt slightly better than I had going in. Quinn was still on my mind, but currently on the back burner, simmering. I emerged from the bathroom, clad in the Dalton Academy mandatory uniform. The jacket I had on was red with black trim, and went well with the black skirt that we were required to wear. Brittany was clad in her cheer leading uniform, waiting by the door. She perked up when I walked out.

"Ohhh, Rachel! You look so awesome!"

I curtsied before her and started giggling.

"This is yet another pro. Not one person can criticize what I'm wearing, because they're all wearing the same thing."

Brittany frowned and linked her arm through mine.

"There's no way I'd let that happen. You wanna know something else? San told me to tell her if anyone bothered you today. She said she'd 'take care of it.' She also used her mafia voice, so I know she was serious. Oh! And you can't tell her that I told you, cause then she'd pout, and then you'd know she was just a big softy."

And I thought I was the professional when it came to long speeches.

"Wow, Brittany. That's just...completely unexpected, to be honest. Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me."

The image of Santana Lopez coming to my rescue was enough to shave a few years off of my life. I could see it now. Cowering in the hallway while Santana marches in, high pony bouncing back and forth dramatically; my knight in shining...spankies?

Not in a million years.

"Okay, Rach, it's time to go. Ohh, ohh! What class do you have first!"

Oh, right. Class. With Cameron. Maybe luck would shine down upon me, and Brittany would be the the same class.

"I have Spanish. How about you?"

She frowned and snapped her fingers.

"Aww. I have World History. I'm pretty sure I have it with Hadley, actually."

That meant that I would officially be alone with Cameron, no buffer in between us. I guess it was high time for me to get to know the glee club co-captain, anyway. I had really only seen her in passing, and only knew things about her as dictated to me through Santana and Brittany. Though I figured the two of them weren't exaggerating, I was going to give her the benefit of the doubt, and build my own opinion about her.

Brittany and I walked out of our room and were greeted by Cameron and Hadley waiting for us, high ponies up and smiles on their faces. I couldn't help the genuine feeling of happiness that came over me when I saw Hadley. I smiled shyly up at her and glanced over at Cameron. It was as if her eyes were magnets, and Brittany's body was some sort of metal. I tried to keep the look of disgust off of my face as I watched her all too obvious leering. I cleared my throat, and her eyes immediately went to the ground.

"Well, are we ready to go? We'll stop at our lockers before we split up. Hey, let me grab those for you."

Before I had a chance to respond, Hadley reached down and took my books from my hands. I blushed furiously and moved a piece of hair behind my ear. So this is what it felt like to be catered to. Talk about going against the grain. Here I was, Rachel Berry, former loser of McKinley High School, and there she was; the beautiful captain of the cheer leading squad. Needless to say, I was awestruck that any of this was even happening, but I was most certainly not complaining.

I saw Cameron preparing herself to try the same move on Brittany, but the tall blonde had already started walking ahead of us. For a split second, I almost felt bad for the girl. We reached our lockers, mine beneath Hadley's, Cameron's beneath Brittany's. I opened my locker and smiled to myself. Maybe sometime in the near future I could mirror one of those lovestruck girls and place a picture of that special someone on the inside.

Hadley moved beside Brittany and turned to me.

"Okay. As much as I don't want to leave, we need to get going. We'll probably be out before you guys, so I'll meet you back here. Is that alright?"

Is that alright? Was she crazy? I couldn't find a single thing wrong with it.

"Yes, of course. I mean, if you want to. If you have no prior engagements. I'll be here."

Hadley searched my eyes for a moment and then winked.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be. Let's go, Britt. You know how Mr. Lee gets when we're late."

Brittany skipped after Hadley while waving to me frantically.

"Have fun, Rach!" Brittany stopped skipping and turned to Cameron, who currently looked like someone had just shot her puppy.

"Have a good day, Cameron. Look after Rachel. She's really tiny and can get lost easily."

Cameron brightened up immediately, her smile covering her entire face.

"Yeah, Britt. I'll be right by her side."

With that said, Hadley and Brittany headed down the hallway towards their class, and Cameron turned towards me.

"This our classroom right here. Our teacher is Ms. Ramos. She's a nice woman when you actually do your work, but if you slack, it isn't pretty. You don't really seem like the type of person to do that, so you should be all set."

I nodded and followed Cameron into the room, which was fairly crowded already. At the front of the room, a small woman sat at a desk that seemed far too large for her. She smiled at us as we walked in, and I returned it. Cameron and I chose seats that were towards the back of the room, and got our books ready.

"Alright, class. I want you all to open to page twenty-three, and choose a partner. You'll get to know this person through various exercises. Please choose someone that you aren't acquainted with."

I looked over at Cameron and she motioned for me to scoot my desk close to hers. I did so, and we opened our books. We went through the typical getting-to-know-you questions, such as favorite foods, favorite television shows, taste in music. It was twenty minutes into the exercise that I started to regret my decision to partner with her.

"So, Rachel. You and Brittany are close, right?"

In all honesty, the question wasn't all that surprising. I was expecting something like this, just not in the middle of class.

"She and I are friends, yes. And roommates, which you obviously know." I shifted in my seat, her gaze suddenly making me uncomfortable.

"So you guys talk and stuff?"

I raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly.

"Does she ever...does she ever talk about me?"

And there it was, the question I had been dreading. She was looking for an answer that I just couldn't give, and I didn't want to be the person who shot her down.

"She has, yes. When she told me about her experiences in cheer leading, she mentioned your name."

The hopeful look in her eyes disappeared immediately, and all that was left was a steely glare.

"It's because...because of her. Brittany and I would be together if it wasn't for her. She's always in the way."

At this point it seemed like she was speaking more to herself than to me and it was incredibly unsettling.

"What are you talking about, Cameron?"

She turned to me, anger burning brightly in her eyes.

"You know who I'm talking about. If you and Brittany are so close, I'm sure she's mentioned her name before. She's no good for Brittany. She broke her heart, and I know she'll do it again."

I cleared my throat and prepared to do something that I never thought possible; defend Santana Lopez.

"Listen, Cameron. I know that you like Brittany very much, and honestly, I can see why. Brittany is an amazing person with a giant heart, and a lot of love to give. But I think she's made her choice, and I think you should respect that."

Cameron scoffed and gave me an incredulous look.

"If you really knew the other girl, you'd know that she's made the wrong choice, and needs to see that."

I let out a deep sigh. This girl was frustrating.

"Santana may be a handful, but-"

"You've _met_ her? That means she must have come in again during the night. I told Brittany that it was a bad idea, and if I found out that it happened again, I'd have to tell to someone. She isn't allowed here, and she knows that!"

"Brittany really loves Santana, and if you care for her, you'll let them be. As for Santana sneaking in, you know it's the only way they're able to see one another. I think that if you took that away from her, you'd only push Brittany away. You need to be thankful that she has offered her friendship."

Cameron jumped up from her chair so quickly that it almost fell over. She looked down at me angrily and spoke through gritted teeth.

"I don't want her friendship. It...it just isn't enough."

With that said, she grabbed her bag and walked hurriedly out of the class room. I waited for the teacher to question it, but the bell rang not a minute later and all of the students were making their way out. Cameron definitely hadn't listened to a word that I said, that much was painfully obvious. From what I could see, what she felt for Brittany and what Santana felt for Brittany were two completely different things, and as different as night from day.

While Santana was gentle and, dare I say, sweet, Cameron seemed hardened, and wanted more control than anything. Needless to say, I agreed with Santana and Brittany's analysis of the girl. It was hard to believe that she and Hadley were best friends. Hadley. Just thinking of the girl brought a smile to my face.

I waited in front of the class room door, trying to appear at ease, when really my thoughts were moving a mile a minute, and my stomach was in knots. What if she didn't show up? What if she forgot? What if this was some sort of cruel joke, and she was just-

"Hey! Rachel, I'm so sorry I'm late. I forgot to grab the assignment from the teacher and had to run back in. Were you waiting long?"

A sigh of relief left me before I was able to stop it, and she looked at me, her eyes concerned.

"No, no. Not long at all. How was world history?"

She smiled and adjusted the straps on her backpack. "Ah, you know. It's history. Pretty much the same no matter which way you spin it. Brittany seemed to like it well enough."

Brittany's name being mentioned automatically brought up the memory of my very much one sided conversation with Cameron, and I did everything that I could to avoid cringing outright.

"What's the matter? You went somewhere just now. Is everything alright?"

I shook my head smiled, trying to alleviate any of her worry.

"Everything is fine. I was just thinking about our assignment for Spanish, that's all."

She searched my eyes a moment longer before grinning.

"Okay. I'll accept that for now. If you'd like to talk about it later, you know I'm here. Listen, Rachel. There's something I wanted to ask you. Two things, actually."'

My breath caught in my throat and my eyes widened. Hadley averted her eyes and scratched the back of her neck in a rare show of uncertainty.

"I'd rather not ask you in the middle of the hallway. Will you walk with me?"

My answer came out as a near whisper.

"Yes. Of course. Where would you like to go?"

She let out a nervous laugh.

"Okay. This is a good start. Uhm. Let's go to the cafeteria."

I nodded and followed after her. We entered the cafeteria and found a table in a corner, secluded from everyone else. She pulled out my chair for me, and then say down. I put my bag down softly and clasped my hands together under the table. Hadley laughed softly.

"I didn't think I would be so nervous. Before I make an ass out of myself, there's something I want to say."

She looked at me, her eyes penetrating deep.

"Rachel, I think you're amazing. You're a beautiful young woman, full of passion and determination. Ever since you arrived, you've been on my mind. I just can't stop thinking about you. I just...I wanted to know if you'd consider maybe letting me take you on a real date? I mean, if not, it's totally fine, I just thought I'd give it a shot because-"

"Yes. The answer is yes. I'd love for you to take me out."

Her head snapped up to look at me once more, her eyes unbelieving.

"Wait...really? Yes?"

I laughed and reached across the table, taking her hand in mine.

"The answer is yes. To be honest, you've been on my mind a lot, too. I guess...since the first time I saw you. You're a kind person, Hadley, and there's a shortage in the world of kind people. I find you strikingly beautiful, and I really never thought this would happen. I mean, I thought about it of course, but you're the cheerleader, and I'm the lo-"

My rant was interrupted by a pair of lips meeting my own. They were soft and full, and took my breath away. She pulled back, and my eyes were still closed, trying to absorb what had just transpired. I was going on a real date. Someone was taking me, Rachel Berry, on a real date, and said person had just kissed me.

"You can open your eyes now, Rachel."

I did so, and let out a breath I wasn't aware I was holding in.

"You said you had two things to ask me. What was the second?"

"I was wondering if maybe you'd come to one of my cheer practices? I know it's not the most exciting thing to watch, but I'd really like it if you came."

I put my finger to my chin as if thinking deeply, and finally looked at her.

"I suppose I could work it in to my busy schedule. I have a date coming up, you know, and I don't want to have to cancel on that person." She laughed loudly and leaned forward once more, capturing her my lips with her own.

"Mmm. I could definitely get used to this. As much as I don't want to leave, I told Cam I'd meet up with her. She texted me earlier, and sounded pretty spazzed out. How about I meet up with you tomorrow, and we can talk more about going out."

I fought back a frown. Cameron was going to talk to Hadley about our conversation in class. I figured it wouldn't do me any good to worry about it, considering that I was almost certain that Hadley would side with me. None of what I had said was said to be mean; it was just how I felt.

Hadley grabbed my hand and we made our way back to our rooms. With her hand wrapped firmly around mine, it became more and more apparent that this wasn't a dream. When we reached our doors, she pulled me into a gentle hug.

"I'm really glad you said yes. I'm going to do my best to show you a great time, and hopefully you'll want to go out with me again."

She leaned down and gave my cheek a chaste kiss, and made her way to her room. I did my best to keep my emotions in check. Squealing in the manner of a fourteen year old girl probably wasn't the best course of action when alone in a hallway. I couldn't wait to tell Brittany!

I entered our room and threw my bag to the side.

"Brittany, you will not believe what just happened! I had the most amazing time with—Oh. Hello, Santana."

In all my excitement, I failed to notice the latina girl sprawled out on Brittany's bed.

"What up, Berry?"

I figured this was a good time to let her know about my encounter with Cameron. The last thing I wanted was Santana to get caught. I couldn't begin to imagine how Brittany would react if Santana was thrown out once more.

"Santana, I ran into Cameron earlier, and—oh...oh my..."

The last thing I failed to notice was that there were two Cheerio jackets thrown onto the back of a chair. Two jackets, for two cheer leaders. The first cheerleader was on Brittany's bed, and the second...the second was sitting on mine, wearing a look so intense that it ripped into my core. When I met her eyes, my heart sped up, and something fluttered rapidly in my stomach.

"Qu...Quinn."

"Hello, Rachel."

**...GLEE!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I wanna thank all of you for your awesome reviews. Granted, most of them were threats, but I'm sure you all meant them with love. This is probably my favorite chapter so far. Do me a favor and review, and lemme know what you think. Your input really means a lot to me. **

"Qu...Quinn.."

"Hello, Rachel."

My hand came to my chest immediately, my heart suddenly feeling as though I had just finished a marathon. I swallowed multiple times, my mouth having gone dry. I tried my best to keep eye contact with Quinn, but I couldn't help looking at the floor each time our eyes met. She sat on my bed, her legs crossed, and her hands resting on her knees. Everything about her posture said that she was calm, relaxed; until you looked into her eyes.

Her eyes were swirling with emotions; so many flickered across her face at once that I could barely register what she was feeling. I looked over at Brittany who was sitting beside Santana, slowly moving her hand through the latina's hair. Brittany looked up at me, her eyes apologetic. Santana lazed beside Brittany, a content smile on her face. If she felt the tension in the room, she gave no indication. She looked at her nails, and occasionally glanced up at Brittany, smiling softly.

I looked between the three girls, confusion etched into my brow. Why? Why was Quinn Fabray in my room? Maybe this was Santana's idea of a joke. Maybe everything she had said about being sorry and wanting to attempt some sort of friendship with me was just a lie. She must have brought Quinn here so that they could continue what they started at McKinley. I could see no other reason why on earth she would be here.

When the thought struck me, I swallowed thickly. It seemed that everything I had worked towards attaining at this school was about to be uprooted. New friends, new classes, and also Hadley. I'd have to leave these things behind me, all because Quinn Fabray needed her personal punching bag around. It wasn't _fair_.

I cleared my throat and finally looked at Quinn full on. I saw her lips close tightly, and her nose flare briefly. "I know why you're here. I can't believe I listened to you, Santana. I believed everything that you said. I thought you really wanted to try to be friends with me, and that you were actually sorry. Silly me, right?"

Santana lifted her head from Brittany's lap and looked at me. One of her eyebrows was raised, and her face was contorted into a look of shock.

"Berry, what the eff-"

I put my hand up to silence her, trying to gain some control over my erratic breathing.

"You couldn't wait until Brittany was gone, could you? And then...then you brought Quinn here, all so you could feel superior once more. I was starting to trust you, Santana. I'm sorry, Quinn. I'm sorry you had to waste your time coming here with Santana. I'm not going to go through this again."

I glanced quickly at Brittany, who looked like she was about to say something. Without grabbing my bag, I rushed towards our door, only to be stopped by the sound of hurried footsteps behind me and a hand on my upper arm.

I stopped and slowly turned around to look at the person who had grabbed me. I assumed it was Brittany, given that she was probably the only person in the room who actually cared about me. When I looked up to see Quinn, my breath caught in my throat, and I suddenly felt dizzy. She was looking down at me, her jaw clenched, and her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her breaths were ragged, and her eyes were darting back and forth between my own. Her grip on my arm was tight, but not tight enough to actually cause pain. She opened her mouth a few times, but no sound came out. She closed her eyes tightly and let out a slow breath.

"Please. Please...sit down. This isn't what you think. I promise."

Her voice was soft, pleading. Had there been any other noises when she spoke, I'm sure that I wouldn't have heard a word of it. I met her eyes, trying to push back the tears that were threatening to spill. This was too much to handle, and my emotions were getting the best of me. I tried my best to push all thoughts of Quinn aside, but that damn dream just wouldn't let me. After the dream, I struggled to focus on other things—making friends, building a real relationship with Hadley. But now, she was back. This wasn't a dream that I could push aside. She was here, beside me. I looked up at her, and spoke so softly that I'm sure Brittany and Santana hadn't heard a word of it.

"Why should I trust you?"

She looked down at the ground, and then back at me. Her grip on my arm loosened, and her arm fell slowly back to her side.

"Please. I just—there's something I need to—I came here to-" She growled in frustration and rubbed her fingers over her eyes.

"Ugh, for the love of—Berry, just sit down. We gots some things we needs to say, and if Q here could stop stuttering like a horny teenage boy, we could get the show on the road. Ain't that right, Quinnie?"

Quinn's head whipped towards Santana, glare firmly in place. Santana put her hands up in mock surrender, and scoffed loudly. "Whatevs. Try to help people, and this is what you get. Unbelievable!" Santana continued muttering to herself until Brittany finally placed a hand over her mouth.

Quinn turned back to me, the glare nowhere to be seen. She cleared her throat and began speaking.

"There are some things I'd like to say to you. If you don't want to hear them, I'll understand. I don't expect you to trust me, but I'd like for you to listen. Is that...is that okay?"

I averted my eyes, and weighed my options. I could leave the room and find Hadley, and leave Quinn firmly in the past, never knowing what it was she was going to say to me. Or, I could sit down and listen to her say whatever it was she needed to say. This could all be another ruse to hurt me, and I would be walking right into it. Every part of me was screaming for me to leave the room and find Hadley, forgetting that Quinn Fabray ever existed. Every part of me wanted to say no—every part but the organ in my chest that was currently beating a mile a minute. I glanced up at her, and gave a brief nod. I headed towards my bed, and slowly sat down. I looked to where she was still standing, her back towards me. Her shoulders relaxed, and she finally turned around. She looked over at Santana who gave a quick nod.

"B, let's bounce for a bit. Let Quinn do her thing. I'll go behind the school and meet you on the track. Ya dig?"

Brittany giggled softly and kissed Santana's cheek. They both got up; Santana headed towards the window, throwing one last cautious glance towards Quinn, and then she was gone. Brittany walked up to me and leaned in for a brief hug, which I returned immediately. She smiled at Quinn and then made her way to the door. When I heard the soft click of the door being shut, I let out a deep breath and turned towards Quinn.

Quinn walked over to Brittany's bed, and turned to face me. We sat there for what felt like hours, sending nervous glances each other's way. She finally sighed and jumped up, surprising me.

"This is so stupid. Why can I never say what I want to say? This shouldn't be hard." She gritted her teeth together and closed her eyes. "Listen. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm such a bitch, and that I took my anger out on you. But Rachel, you're an easy target! If you had stood up for yourself, then none of this-"

"Excuse me? If I had stood up for myself?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing, and I finally gave into an emotion that I rarely felt; anger.

"Please. Please tell me this is a joke, and that you don't really expect me to believe this. Day after day, I put up with all of you constantly tearing me down, and _I'm_ the one to blame?"

Quinn clenched and unclenched her fists rapidly, and finally brought her hands behind her head.

"This isn't how this was supposed to go. I had it all planned out...this isn't...this isn't what I wanted."

She opened her eyes and walked up to me. She lifted her arms and made it seem like she was going to place them on my shoulders, but then thought better of it when she saw that I was almost shaking with anger. She let her arms drop with a sigh.

"I never wanted you to leave. You have to believe me when I say that it was never my intention. You just...you made me so damn angry! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to watch you, day after day, happy smile plastered to your face? Life was so easy for you! It wasn't fair. I just...I wanted someone, _anyone_, to feel worse than me. And you. You were such an easy target, Rachel. You just took everything that I threw at you, and you kept on smiling."

She walked past me and sat on my bed, and placed her head in her hands. Her next words were soft, but unbelievably clear.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything."

I stalked up to her, my hands on my hips.

"What kind of response is that, Quinn? You needed to tear me down to make yourself feel better? You know what else probably would have helped you? Having my friendship. I'm a great listener, Quinn. I would have been there for you when you needed me. Instead, you took the other route, and alienated and humiliated me, day after day. You know what kind of person does that? Someone who is _broken_."

My own words surprised me, and I brought my hand up immediately to cover my mouth.

She looked up at me then, her green eyes shimmering with unshed tears. I moved forward to give some sort of comfort, but she flinched back immediately.

"You don't have to...You're right, you know. I am. Broken."

I shook my head quickly.

"No, Quinn. I didn't mean that. I'm sorry it came out like that, I really am-"

She wiped at her eyes and stood up quickly.

"Don't apologize, Rachel. Speaking your mind is a really big part of who you are."

I began to protest, but thought better of it. She was right. I was born without a filter. After a moment if biting my lip, I was struck with another realization. My lips twitched in slight amusement, and Quinn noticed and raised her eyebrows in question.

"It's just...I realized something just now. I think that's the second time you've called me by my actual name. I think it's a record."

Quinn let out a laugh that surprised me, but I smiled in return. The sound of it was, for lack of better words, simply beautiful.

"This is supposed to be a serious situation here. You're supposed to smack me, and tell me to get out. Not make me laugh."

I walked over to where she was standing and motioned for her to sit once more. I took a seat beside her, and began speaking.

"I'm not going to tell you that I understand why you acted in such a way. I know that you were wrong in doing so. Whatever issues you may have going on, it's no excuse to take your problems out on someone else. You hurt me, and you hurt me badly. There was a point when I was actually scared to go to school. And look. This is what happened. Because of you and a few other people, I was forced to come here."

She hung her head, unable to meet my eyes.

I took a deep breath and continued on.

"I'm telling you, Quinn. It's a much better feeling to have friends that you can talk to, as opposed to taking your anger out on other people, just for that one single moment of satisfaction."

She looked up at me then, her eyes tired.

"Are you saying you want to be my friend?"

...GLEE!

Brittany sat in the bleachers that were surrounding the track, waiting for Santana. The dark haired girl said she had a quick phone call to make, and then they could spend some quality macking time together. She put her arms around her body in an effort to stay warm, the night steadily getting colder. She was about to get up and look for the girl when a hand on her shoulder made her turn around. She smiled automatically, and turned around to see-

"Cameron. What are you doing out here?"

The girl in question crossed her arms in front of her.

"I could ask you the same question, you know. You wouldn't happen to be waiting for someone, now would you?"

Brittany bit her lip and turned away, praying that Santana would take her sweet time on the phone. She didn't want Santana to come out and see Cameron, and she really didn't want Cameron to see Santana. She knew it wouldn't end well for any of them.

"I'm just getting some air, that's all."

Cameron's eyes studied Brittany for a moment before she sat down beside her.

"It's nice to see you, Brittany. I miss the times when we would hang out together and talk."

Brittany turned her head to face Cameron, doing her best to control her facial expressions.

"You know that you ruined that for yourself. We could have been friends, but you wouldn't allow it."

Cameron scoffed loudly. "I did what I did to protect you! That girl is bad news, plain and simple. She doesn't treat you the way you deserve to be treated."

Brittany stood up suddenly, her hands balled into fists by her side.

"Usually I'm the one who has problems understanding things. What don't you get? I _love _Santana. I love her with all my heart. You need to accept that!"

Cameron growled and stood up to face the fuming blonde.

"She doesn't love you the way that I do!"

Brittany, caught off guard by the suddenly admittance, failed to notice that Cameron had stepped closer. What she did notice however, was the hands on the side of her face, and the feeling of lips that were foreign to her meeting her own. Unfortunately for Cameron, there was one other person who saw the interaction, and she wasn't happy. She rushed forward, her teeth grinding together in anger, and her hands balled tightly together. She stepped forward, and then-

SLAP!

The onlooker stopped suddenly, her jaw dropping in a comical fashion.

Cameron stepped back, holding her wounded cheek. Brittany stood there, her eyes wide and completely unbelieving of what had just occurred. Before she could say anything, Cameron sent one final look her way, and then jogged back towards the dorms. Brittany's arm dropped slowly, and she brought her hand up to her own face, and studied it. A noise behind her made her turn around suddenly, and she began to cry.

"San, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to let her, she just did it, and then I hit her, and then-"

Santana wrapped her arms around the shaking girl and cooed softly into her ear.

"Brittany, you did the right thing. She had no right. She got off lucky though."

Brittany pulled back and looked into Santana's loving eyes.

"Because I was about to break that bitch's goddamn nose."

Brittany laughed suddenly, taking in Santana's serious tone. Her laughs steadily subsided, and she sat there in the comforting embrace of the latina girl.

"Let's go inside, BB. It's getting cold, and we gotta check on Q and Berry, see if they worked their shit out."

Brittany sniffled and stood up, her side pressed against the shorter girl's.

"Quinn's been a sad ducky lately, hasn't she?"

Santana rolled her eyes and wrapped her arm around the blonde.

"That's putting it lightly. I could think of a few things to call her."

Brittany slapped Santana's shoulder lightly. "Be nice, San. You know how Quinn is. She's just like you. Super stubborn and scary on the outside, but pudding and fluff on the inside."

Santana grumbled lightly before taking Brittany's hand.

"Okay, fine, whatever. Just don't tell anyone. And just so you know, I know that you told Berry about me. I saw the way she looked at me today. Totally judging and whatnot, and definitely not scared."

"San, I didn't mean to, I just thought that it would help-"

"Britts. I'm not mad. I want her to know that I'm here if she needs me. And I don't want her to be scared of me anymore. I kind of really want to be her friend. Goddamn, that is sappy and gross and I will never say it again." Brittany squeezed Santana's hand, and they made their way back to Brittany's room.

...GLEE!

"Are you saying you want to be my friend?"

I stood up, unable to answer her right away.

Is that what I wanted? Did her friendship really mean anything to me anymore? As I looked into her eyes, one thing was painfully obvious; Quinn was lost, and she needed someone. Though she had a school full of people that she could turn to, she came to_ me_. _Quinn Fabray_ needed _me_.

"I don't trust you. I don't know if I ever will, really. You've said and done so many hurtful things. You can't blame me if I feel slightly thrown by what you've said."

Quinn's head dropped once more, her eyes studying the floor intently.

"But I am a firm believer in second chances. If you're serious about this...then I'm willing to give it a shot. I became more acquainted with Santana, and I found out that she really is just a kind person underneath all of that attitude."

Before Quinn was able to respond, a loud whining noise came from the window.

"See, Britts? I told you this was gonna happen! She totally doesn't take me seriously anymore."

I looked over to see Santana standing near the window, her lower lip jutting out in a pout. I swear she was _this_ close to stomping her foot.

"In all seriousness though, we gotta bounce on out of here, Q. I just ran into that bitch across the hall, and almost introduced her to my fist."

I looked at Brittany questioningly, but she shook her head and mouthed 'later.'

Quinn stood up and walked over to where Santana was standing. She met my eyes hesitatingly, and smiled slightly.

"I do. I want to try. I don't really know where to start..but I'd really like to try. All I know is that when you left, things weren't the same. Something in me...shifted. I want to know what that was."

She took a deep breath and took a step forward. Her voice was small, timid. The voice of a child asking permission.

"Thank you. For giving me this chance."

I met her eyes, registering the sincerity in them. I took a step forward, and put my hand out.

"I know where we can start. I'm hoping this works for you as well. My name is Rachel Berry, and it's nice to meet you."

Quinn's eyes widened, and she gave me yet another rare smile.

"My name is Quinn Fabray. I'm really looking forward to getting to know you."

Our hands met, and I felt an immediate jolt of electricity run between us. Quinn must have felt it too, because the shock was evident on her face. Our hands stayed together longer than was necessary, neither one of us ready to pull away. What...was that?

Santana walked up to Quinn and grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Q. Another time. Berry will be here. My patience, not so much."

Quinn looked at me for a minute longer before turning to the impatient cheer leader.

"Fine, let's go. You know, you really need to work on-"

"Don't tell me what to do, Blondie. If you hadn't taken so much time, I wouldn't-"

"What did you just call me? I know you don't want to go there-"

Their squabbling continued until they were both outside. I looked after Quinn as she and Santana made their way to her car. She sent me one last look and a small wave before jumping inside. I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Brittany smiling.

"You know, once you get past all of their arguing, they're actually kind of charming."

I quirked my brow up and looked back down at my hand, remembering but not quite understanding what had just happened between us. A small smile played on my lips as I brought my hand to the side of my face.

"Yes. Charming, indeed."

**...GLEE!**

**Alrighty. Hopefully you guys liked it. Next chapter will have Rachel's date, and the GASP! Hadley and Quinn meeting. Take care all. **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry for the wait. Next chapter will definitely not take as long. Read and review, lemme know what you think. Happy Holidays, guys! Be safe.**

"Yes. Charming indeed."

As I watched Quinn's retreating form, I couldn't help but smile. Quinn Fabray wanted to be my _friend_. The one thing that I thought to be impossible was suddenly becoming very real and true.

From the moment I met Quinn, I thought that she was magnificent. She had a fierce passion that I rarely saw in anyone but myself. I made it my goal to learn more about her, in hopes of becoming her friend. This proved to be a difficult task because, as I soon realized, Quinn had built mile high walls around herself. Ever the determined one, I made it a point to make Quinn realize that someone noticed her, and someone cared. Whether it be a casual nod of the head in the hallway, or an all out wave in glee club, I wanted-, no, _needed_- Quinn to see that I was here, and I was open to her friendship.

Quinn had responded only a handful of times to my advances, but they were well worth the wait. She would catch my eyes briefly when she thought no one else was looking, and it never failed to take my breath away. In that brief second in time, I knew I was catching a rare glimpse of the real girl underneath the scowl, and she was beautiful. Just when I thought that we were making progress, she'd shut me down, and send sort of insult my way. Although it hurt, I never gave up hope that I could one day call us friends.

Watching her perform in glee club helped me to better understand the blonde Cheerio. I saw a sadness in her eyes that I'm sure every other member of the club missed, and it broke my heart. This greatly changed the way that I viewed Quinn. My casual glances turned into minute long stares. I usually caught myself before anyone noticed, but it was becoming harder and harder to tear my eyes away.

When Quinn was performing, she bared her heart and soul; it was the only time that Quinn seemed to fully drop her defenses, and leave herself vulnerable. Her songs never failed to bring tears to my eyes. It wasn't long before I realized that the feelings that I harbored were slowly changing and becoming deeper and more complicated.

The way I looked at Quinn changed considerably, and I was scared. I was already a social outcast. If someone were to catch me leering, my life at McKinley would only worsen. Day after day we would go through the motions; I'd catch her attention, and she would look away. I'd be focused on something, and I'd suddenly feel the weight of her eyes baring down on me. The day eventually came that someone besides Quinn noticed, as I knew it would. Personally I always thought it would be Santana who would be the one to blow up the entire charade, but it wasn't. David Karofsky, the beast of a football player, was the one to so carelessly end the fantasy that I had embedded in my mind. And now...here I was.

I tried to put Quinn Fabray behind me, along with all of the feelings that I had developed. But now Quinn was here, saying many of the things that I envisioned her saying in the past. And my feelings for her... did they still exist? As I thought back to my dream, I took in a sharp breath and closed my eyes. Her embrace, her love, holding me tightly. My chest constricted at the thought of her holding me so, her breath a bare whisper on the back of my neck, sending chills down the length of my body. I believe it was safe to say that yes, these feelings still existed, and were apparently stronger than ever.

What this meant for Quinn and myself, and more importantly, Hadley and myself, I had no idea. Wanting people that I couldn't have was definitely nothing new for me. People wanting me? Completely unheard of. That is, until now. Though I was thoroughly confused by occurrences as of late, I knew I wanted to give Hadley and myself a chance. There was a certain chemistry between us that I never had the chance to feel with Quinn, and truthfully, I wanted to give us the chance to bloom into something more.

I let out a small sigh and turned my eyes towards Brittany. She stood there, gazing outside to where Quinn and Santana were previously standing, a lovestruck, dreamy look on her face. The look she was wearing was something I could only hope to mimic in the future.

Brittany turned to me and smiled.

"I'm really happy that you guys are gonna be friends, Rachel. Quinn is pretty stubborn just like San, and I think it's cause she's missing half of herself."

My eyebrows knitted together slightly as I tried to figure out what it was she was trying to say.

"I'm not quite sure I understand, Brittany."

Brittany shook her head slightly and smiled, as if to say "Why am I the only wise one here?"

"It's simple, Rach. See, before I met San, I was only half a person, and she was too. When we found each other, we became one person. She's my other half. Quinn is a half person, too. Even when she was with Finn, she was still only half. I think that's why she so sad all the time. People spend their lives looking for the other half of themselves, so that they can be whole again."

Her eyes twinkled in the moonlight that shone through the window.

"You're only half of yourself too, Rachel, but I think that's gonna change really soon."

I smiled when I took in everything that she said, and finally understood. The girl was truly a genius.

"Well, I hope so too, Brittany. I mean, I have my date with Hadley tonight, so-"

Brittany frowned automatically.

"Hadley? No, I meant—never mind."

A part of me wanted to ask Brittany what she really meant, but I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I would be going on a date tonight. An actual date, with a beautiful girl who, more importantly, wanted to go on a date with _me_.

I turned to Brittany, my eyes wide.

"I have a date tonight. A real date. What do I wear? Should I wear a dress? Should I wear pants? What if she doesn't like-"

Brittany quickly put her hand over my mouth, and I was silenced immediately.

"Calm down, Rachel. You sounded like you were about to explode or something."

I closed my eyes and dropped back onto my bed loudly, groaning to myself.

"It'll be okay, Rach. You're going to one of our cheer meets tomorrow, right? I'm sure she'll give you the details then, like whether to be casual or dressy."

I sat back up and huffed. She had a point. I could always _ask_ Hadley.

"I suppose you're right. Hmm. I wonder what she has planned. Brittany, what's the most romantic thing Santana has done for you?"

Brittany sighed contentedly and hugged a pillow to her chest.

"The most romantic thing Sanny did for me...Well, this one time she called me and told me she needed help with her report on cats, so I rushed right over. I knocked on the door, but no one answered, so I let myself in like I usually would. This time, her parents weren't there to greet me, it was all pretty quiet and stuff. She had set up a trail of roses that led to the bathroom. When I went inside, I saw that the lights were dimmed, and there were little candles surrounding the tub."

Brittany paused in her Berry sized rant and smiled widely.

"Next to the tub was a little note that said 'get comfortable,' so I hopped in. The water was nice and warm, and filled with the bubble bath beads that I love."

I hummed softly, completely engrossed in her reenactment.

"That sounds wonderful, Brittany. Who knew Santana was such a romantic?"

Brittany nodded and continued on.

"That's not all she did. After I sat in the bath for a while, she came in and started massaging my shoulders, and we eventually took a bath together. When we finally got out of the water, she told me that she had made dinner, and that she'd bring it to me. We sat in her room, taking turns feeding each other. After we were done eating, we laid down and—"

I put my hands up to stop her, just in case this was headed in an R-rated direction.

"-and we cuddled. She sang a Spanish lullaby that she knows I love, and we cuddled until we fell asleep."

By the time she was done, my jaw was nearly to the ground.

"That's...that's beautiful, Brittany. I can only hope that I'm lucky enough to have someone do something even _half_ as romantic as that."

Brittany's eyes sparkled briefly before she turned away, heading to her closet. She grabbed her pajamas and turned around, getting ready for bed. Even though she was facing away from me, I could hear the smile on her face.

"You know, Q is an even bigger romantic than San. They used to fight over who had the better ideas, and San would always get really red in the face because Quinn always had these really awesome plans. She'd get this look in her eyes like she was really far away when she talked about how she would put her plans into motion, and how she'd make that person fall in love with her. I remember that San always said that if Q had such good ideas, then why didn't she use them on someone. Quinn would always give a little smile and say that she hadn't found the right person yet. I don't know about Hadley, but, you know, in case you were wondering. Quinn is a really sweet romantic at heart, even though she pretends like she doesn't care."

I cleared my throat nervously and fiddled with the strings on my comforter. It seemed that my assumptions of Quinn were true. I always had this scenario in my head that Quinn was the type of person to sweep her lover off of their feet with old fashioned romantic gestures. She was intelligent, beautiful, and apparently had the ability to be incredibly sweet.

"Brittany, why are you telling me this? I mean, it's not like this is applicable to me. I could understand telling someone who was romantically entangled with Quinn, but I assure you-"

"Rachel. You don't have to explain or anything. I totally saw the way you were looking at Quinn when she came here with Santana, and I saw the way that she was looking at you. It was pretty intense."

I turned to her, trying my best to keep the shocked look off of my face. I wasn't sure what to do. I could lie to Brittany and tell her that she was seeing things, or I could tell her the truth, and finally gain some perspective on what I was feeling. If I was lucky enough, I'd gain some closure as well.

"The things...that I felt for Quinn don't really matter anymore. They're in the past. They have to be."

Brittany quirked her brow, confusion etched onto her face.

"I don't understand. Why would you want to forget about your feelings?"

I sat up quickly and placed my head in my hands, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

"You'll have to excuse me, Brittany. I've never said any of these things out loud. I mean, I tried to rationalize it to myself, but I've never once told anyone else."

Brittany frowned and moved to sit next to me. She placed her hand on my back and began to rub small circles.

"You shouldn't be scared of your feelings, Rachel. They're a really big part of who you are, and you shouldn't be scared of yourself."

I leaned into her touch and sighed softly.

"I don't know why I fell for Quinn. I mean, I **do**; her passion, her beauty, her intellect. But what I feel goes against all reason. She was so cruel, but when she took the time to smile my way, I felt myself falling for her all over again."

Brittany nodded knowingly and placed her chin on my shoulder.

"You said _feel_, not _felt_. You haven't been able to get rid of those feelings, have you?"

I figured that my lack of response was enough to answer her question.

"I did! I mean, I thought I did, but then she showed up with that perfect smile and those beautiful green eyes, and I once again lost my resolve, and I fell hard. She has so much power over me, and she doesn't even realize it."

Brittany was silent for a moment, probably trying to take in everything that I was saying.

"Rachel, can I ask you something kinda sorta personal? I think I already know the answer, but I'd still like to ask. Did you—no, _do_ you—do you love Quinn?"

My chest clenched tightly as I lost the ability to breathe. Without realizing it, tears had begun to gather in the corner of my eyes, and I finally knew the answer to her question. I looked to meet Brittany's clear blue eyes, my mouth opening and closing but producing no words.

She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and brought me in close. The small squeeze she gave me told me that she understood—no words were needed. With Brittany's question answered, I realized that I had one for myself.

Just how long had I been in love with Quinn Fabray?

...GLEE!

Though both occupants of the car were currently silent, thoughts flew through their heads at lightning speed. The darker haired girl began tapping her fingers on her knee, trying to decide how to proceed with what she wanted to say.

"Q?"

A tired response. "Yeah, S?"

"What was that in there. With Berry."

Quinn's eyes shifted to the side to look at Santana, and then focused on the road.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Santana let out a noise of irritation before going back to tapping.

"We're best friends. We're supposed to tell each other everything. At least, I thought we were."

Quinn groaned loudly before pulling off the side of the road, parking the car.

"I do tell you everything. Even when I manage to keep something from you, you figure it out anyway. If that doesn't scream 'best friends,' then I don't know what does. You already know everything concerning Rachel."

Santana pulled the lever on the bottom of her chair, allowing her to recline backwards. She placed her arms behind her head, and closed her eyes.

"Q. I know there's more to tell. I saw the way you looked at Berry, and I saw the way she was looking at you. I know you were like, totally messed up when she left, but I don't know all the reasons why. You get me?"

Quinn mirrored Santana's position and relaxed into the back of the chair.

"You know I'm no good with this stuff. Any of it. I'm sure there's some scientific term out there for how I treated Rachel, and why I did it. I was scared. I was scared because she was one of the few people who was starting to see the real me. You and Brittany are really the only two who know me that well, and when I found out that a third person was starting to understand, _Rachel Berry,_ of all people, I just couldn't handle it. I lashed out. I tried to hurt her, because I couldn't stand the idea of her seeing behind my mask. How many kinds of fucked up_ is_ that exactly?"

Santana turned to her best friend, a rare show of concern in her eyes that was reserved especially for the two important blondes in her life.

"Quinn, it's not fucked up. People react in different ways. Berry went peeping where she shouldn't have been peeping..._big surprise_... and you tried to put a stop to it."

Quinn leaned forward and placed her head on the steering wheel, trying her best to keep her emotions intact.

"She just wouldn't stop. She was relentless. Berry _really_ doesn't know when to take a hint. I was so mean to her, Santana. _You_ were so mean to her, just because I told you to be. After all of the abuse, she kept coming back to me, all because she wanted to be my friend. Why the hell couldn't I just **let** her, Santana? I probably would have been better off."

Santana put a hand on Quinn's shoulder in an effort to comfort her. The blonde girl let out a heavy breath, and wiped at the moisture in her eyes.

"She would have been the only good thing in my life, the only _right_ thing, and I threw that away like it was nothing. I think that maybe I do deserve to be miserable. She's probably better off without me, anyway."

Santana rolled her eyes and poked Quinn hard in the side.

"Quit it with the pity party, Fabray. For whatever reason, Rachel wants you, and I know that you want Rachel. If that little show in Britt's room didn't prove it, then my name isn't Santana-goddamn-Lopez."

Quinn turned to Santana, a questioning look in her eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

Santana sat back up and began fixing her hair.

"I don't know what you mean. Hey, it's getting kinda late, maybe we should-"

"Santana! What did you mean?"

The girl in question pouted her lower lip and shook her head.

"I knew I shouldn't have said anything. Okay listen. We're best friends, yeah? I got your back, you got mine, the whole shebang, right?"

Quinn didn't see how this had to do with anything, but she found herself nodding anyway.

"Okay, great. I need to ask you something, and I need you to promise me that you'll answer me honestly, and not run away. Cool?"

Quinn once again nodded and motioned for Santana to finish what she was saying.

"Okay, so. You bullied Rachel because she was starting to see the real you, as you put it. Berry wouldn't quit, and kept going back for more, which I'm sure a part of you kind of enjoyed. You two do your thing back and forth, 'oh, I want to be your friend, oh no, I'm protecting you by pushing you away,' blah blah. Finally, Berry leaves, and something in you...shall we say, snapped. You were mopey and depressed, wouldn't eat. Pretty much zero fun to be around. Anywho. You find out where Berry went, and suddenly things are looking up. You both have the same weird reaction to each other, and now here we are."

Quinn's head dropped when Santana finished her rant.

"That's it? Are you kidding me? You pretty much just summarized-"

"I want to know how long, Quinn. How long have you been in love with Rachel Berry?"

Both Santana and Quinn were glad that they were currently parked, because they both suspected that had Quinn been driving when Santana asked her question, they'd probably be in a very intimate position with a tree.

"Where did that even come from? Why did you ask me that? Where do you get off-"

"Stop, Quinn. You don't have to lie to me. I have eyes. I saw the way you two looked at one another. I know damn well that that's how I look at Britt, and that's how she looks at me."

Quinn remained silent, so Santana kept talking.

"You never for one second looked at Finn like that. It's always been about Berry, and I think I'm starting to see why."

Quinn sniffled softly and looked up at Santana, her eyes red and puffy.

"I tried...I tried so hard to push those feelings aside. I thought that if I was mean enough, I could get her to hate me and I could stop feeling like this. I thought that when she left, I'd be happy; free, even. But I wasn't. I was in so much pain when I found out she was gone, and I couldn't figure out _why_. It was like I lost a piece of myself, a piece I never really knew was a part of me until it was gone, you know?"

Santana nodded sagely, and handed her friend a tissue.

"Actually, I do. You should talk to Brittany sometime. She has this amazing theory that I think will explain some things to you."

Quinn laughed slightly at that. If anyone were to understand her situation, she was sure it would be Brittany and her infinite wisdom.

"Without a doubt, you now know everything concerning Rachel. My question to you is, what now? Where do I go from here?"

Santana put her finger to her lip, chewing lightly on the nail.

"With our powers combined, we shall make...Faberry. You know, Fabray, Berry. It's pretty clever, right? Okay, guess you don't agree. My point is, we get you two together, like you should have been from the start, and then everyone is happy."

Quinn was about to agree when she was hit with another thought.

"What if that isn't what she wants? I'm serious, Santana. She might really only want my friendship."

Santana chuckled and shook her head.

"Oh no, my little pressed lemon. I haz me some gaydar, and it was going through the roof when I looked at Berry. Oh, and also her leering at your ass. That was pretty gay too."

Quinn turned a bright shade of red and started her car quickly. Santana managed to keep her mouth shut for the rest of the drive..at least until Quinn's barely audible 'was she really looking?' broke through the silence. Then Santana just lost it.

...GLEE!

How long. How long had I been in love with Quinn, and why hadn't I noticed it sooner? I knew from the moment that I met Quinn that I felt something more for her—far more than I should have. When exactly did those feelings evolve and become something stronger?

I turned to Brittany, the thoughts in my head swirling about , leaving me feeling slightly dizzy.

"What should I do, Brittany? I've never experienced anything like this. I'm not too sure about the appropriate course of action in regards to this type of situation."

Brittany cocked her head to the side, a stern look on her face.

"You do exactly what you were going to do. You go on your date with Hadley, and you build a friendship with Quinn. I think that things will sort themselves out, Rachel. They always do. If you and Q are meant to be, then it'll happen."

It was such a simple answer. Why I couldn't have figured it out was well beyond me.

"What if I can't get past Quinn? What if I never fall...fall out of love with her."

Brittany giggled and hopped into her bed.

"The you guys will totally date and make really cute singing-cheering lady babies. Oh, but before that, you guys have to go on tons of double dates with San and me. It's like, a rule or something. Good night, Rachel! Have pleasant Quinn filled dreams!"

I rolled over onto my side, trying to tell myself that it did no good to worry over things that I couldn't control. The situation was out of my hands now, and I was going to go along for the ride, for better or for worse.

...GLEE!

The sunlight shone brightly through our open blinds, causing me to stir immediately. I sat up and yawned, wondering why I was so tired, and then it hit me. Today was my date with Hadley, and it was also the day that I got to see Quinn. I looked over at Brittany who, unsurprisingly, was still snoring away.

I hopped up and ran over to her bed, this time with a real cause to wake up the blonde.

"Brittany, hey, wake up. I think we overslept. We have to go to cheer practice. You need to cheer, and I need to watch! Brittany Pierce, you wake up this instant!"

Brittany stirred slowly beneath the blanket, and finally opened her eyes.

"Rach? Is that you? It's okay, I set the clock forward. We still have some time." She got up slowly and walked towards the bathroom. When I heard the shower turn on, I jumped into action, getting ready myself. I threw on the Dalton uniform, smoothing down the creases. I checked my hair numerous times in the mirror, and finally smiled at my reflection. I was ready. I could do this. It was just cheerleading practice. All I had to do was watch, and well, cheer when it was appropriate.

15 minutes later, Brittany emerged from the bathroom, looking refreshed and ready to start her day. She groaned softly as she put her pony tail up high.

"I don't know why I bother showering. I'm just gonna get all sweaty again. Our cheer coach may not be Sue Sylvester, but she definitely isn't a pushover."

I 'aww'ed' at Brittany and pulled her into a hug, trying to get rid of the pout that had erupted on her face.

"It'll be okay. Get through this practice and I'll treat you to some vegan friendly ice cream! How does that sound?"

If possible, Brittany's pout deepened as she pulled out of my grasp.

"That's uh...super nice of you Rachel, but I think I'll pass. Besides,_ someone _has a date tonight."

I blushed immediately and headed for the door.

"No more talk of that. Right now I want to focus on making it through this cheer practice in one piece. It's bad enough that I'll be surrounded by girls in their skimpy cheer uniforms, and on top of that, _sweaty_ cheerleaders in skimpy uniforms. My god, if I didn't know any better, I'd say I've been taken over by a teenage boy."

Brittany smiled flirtatiously before skipping over to me.

"Rach, are you like hitting on me? I know you have a thing for blondes, but I'm already spoken for."

My hands immediately went to my hips as I prepared to scold her.

"Brittany S. Pierce, you take that back this instant! If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was in the room with Santana right now."

The tall blonde collapsed into a fit of giggles and shoved my shoulder playfully.

"I'm just kidding, Rach. And yes, San may have told me to say that. Just stop worrying, okay? It's like, way bad for your skin. You're gonna watch us cheer, then you'll go on an awesome date with Hadley, and then you get to see Q. It's going to be a great day for you. You're gonna be like, surrounded by super hotties, you little stud."

I groaned loudly as I followed her outside. It seemed that Santana had rubbed off on Brittany in the worst of ways.

When the field came into view, I let out a sound of awe. The cheerleaders were already practicing, their movements perfectly in sync. I don't know if it was the color of their uniform, or the sheer amount of cheerleaders lined up, but they were definitely a little more than threatening.

Brittany shot me a thumbs up and ran ahead to join the others. She jumped in line next to Cameron, who looked like she was about to faint. Our eyes met briefly, mine filled with an unsaid warning, and hers apologetic. I huffed and turned away, scanning over the other cheerleaders. Most of them I recognized from the hallways, and some faces were foreign to me.

Without warning, all of the cheerleaders jumped into a perfectly formed line, staring forward, completely unmoving. I looked on in awe, wondering if time had stopped. Really, I don't even think they were blinking. Before I was able to take a step forward to investigate, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

Hadley walked forward, a stern look on her face. I didn't think it was possible, but once she appeared, the cheerleader's backs straightened up even more, and they became increasingly more statuesque.

I followed Hadley unabashedly; just her presence on the field was overwhelmingly powerful, and it demanded my full attention.

She looked up and met my eyes, a small smirk playing on her lips. I tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear and looked away, feeling slightly embarrassed after having stared her down. She finally looked away, her eyes baring down on the cheerleaders.

"Alright, Oreos. You know the drill. Nothing less than perfect. I want the 7th routine, done the way the was meant to be done. You screw up, you'll be doing suicides the entire night."

Though I found her words to be downright frightening, I could see the looks of respect and admiration on the faces of each cheerleader. Hadley was indeed a great leader, and clearly well respected by her peers.

I sat in the bleachers, watching the cheerleaders practice, beads of perspiration running down each one of their faces. Hadley was in front of them, determination in her eyes. They all moved perfectly together, like a well oiled machine.

"Pierce, Ramirez, Wilson. Perfect, as usual. Montgomery, Hart, Davis. Very sloppy—you can go begin your suicides."

There was no complaining from the three girls that were called out. They nodded at Hadley and began their laps. It was at this point that I was overjoyed that I wasn't the athletic type; just watching them was enough to wear me out.

When the Oreos started to disperse, Hadley grabbed a towel to wipe her face, and started walking in my direction. Her smile was contagious; the stern look had completely dissipated, and she was now giving me a very bright—albeit exhausted- smile.

"You came. I'm glad."

I smiled shyly and reached for the towel. Ever so carefully, I moved the piece of cloth across her brow, wiping away the excess moisture.

"Of course I came. That was magnificent. The way you controlled the field, and the way they looked to you for guidance; it was wonderful to watch. Thank you for inviting me."

Hadley smiled down at me and gently took the almost sodden towel from my hands.

"Eh, I went easy on them. They've been doing a great job lately, and I didn't want anyone passing out while you were watching. You probably wouldn't have liked that too much."

I swatted at her shoulder playfully, and then straightened up when I remembered that I had something important to ask her.

"So, Hadley, about our date tonight..."

When a look of worry crossed her face, I tried to backpedal quickly.

"No, no, it's nothing bad. I just want to know what I should wear, that's all. I'd like to be dressed accordingly for the atmosphere."

She relaxed a bit then, relief covering her face.

"Well, I was thinking maybe we could have a picnic, and maybe get to know each other better. How does that sound?"

Dressing for a picnic was something I was sure I could manage.

"That sounds great, actually."

She nodded quickly and then glanced around nervously.

"There's something I'd like you to do for me. I hope I'm not being too forward or anything, but...I'd like you to wear this tonight."

She walked over to the locker area and grabbed an article of clothing from within. She walked back to me, a nervous smile on her face. I reached out slowly and took the item from her.

"It's my Letterman. I'd really like for you to wear it. It's just...I think it would look good on you. It might be slightly too large on you, but it's comfortable."

The jacket in question was in the style of that of the Cheerios back at McKinley. The jacket itself was black with white lettering on the hood, with the word 'Oreos' in big block letters; on the breast pocket was "Wilde, #27" in flowing cursive script.

"You...you want me to wear this?"

Hadley kicked lightly at the ground, looking like a timid child.

"Well, yeah. I don't know. I just thought-"

"It's lovely. Thank you Hadley. So, what time shall I be expecting you?"

The timid girl disappeared, and she was looking more like the confident girl that I had gotten to know.

"Well, I figured I could go shower and change while you go get ready, and I'll come get you. Maybe in an hour or so?"

I nodded that that was fine, and smiled when she moved to place the jacket around my shoulders. I hugged the jacket close, inhaling the light scent of vanilla that seemed to be Hadley's and Hadley's alone.

We walked back to our respective rooms in a comfortable silence, arm in arm. I smiled and gave a small wave when we arrived, suddenly very excited for our picnic. Even before I entered our room, I heard the sounds of excited chatter from within. When I entered, I was once again rendered breathless.

"Hey what's up, midge! We were just talking about you!"

I walked forward, fully intending on scolding Santana for using a nickname that made fun of my height, but I just couldn't seem to get the words out with Quinn staring at me the way she was.

"Quinn...Hello. It's nice to see you again."

She stood up and walked towards me, her green eyes more alive than I had ever seen them before. She was dressed in her Cheerios uniform, but her hair, instead of being in its usual tight pony, was now cascading down her shoulders, framing her face.

"Hi, Rachel. Listen, I'm sorry about..." she motioned to herself and Santana. "Well, I'm sorry about _this._ I know we weren't supposed to show up until later, but I really wanted to...uhm.." She took a deep breath and looked to where Santana was sitting, as if for confirmation. "I wanted to see you."

I blinked numerous times, wondering if I was dreaming.

"Well, Quinn, I...I'm really glad you're here."

We stood there staring at each other, our eye contact unbroken until Brittany bounded into the room, right into my arms.

"Rachel! What are you doing back so early? Aren't you supposed to be on your date?" 

Brittany clapped a hand over her mouth when she realized what she had just said, and I looked to Quinn to gauge her reaction. The eyes that were once a calm green were now a complete hurricane of emotions; Quinn looked everywhere but at me, that is, until she noticed what I was wearing.

"You're...you're going on a date. With who? What—why. Why are you wearing that jacket, Rachel. Who does it belong to? Take it off."

Before I was able to respond, I heard the door open and shut quickly behind us. I turned around to see Hadley standing there, her eyes focused completely on Quinn.

"Well, I believe the answer to all of your questions would in fact be _me_. My, it's been such a long time. Hello, Lucy."

**...GLEE!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Notes: Yeah, I pretty much suck, I know that. I actually just got back into playing a video game that has a reputation for stealing lives, and that's exactly what it did, once again. Fortunately, I know what's going to happen next, so it should come easily to me. I hope you all like this chapter. I tried my best to capture how I think Quinn would feel/react. So, yeah. Fixed the Spanish error! I'm really sorry for that. **

The tension in the air was thick and I was suddenly finding it hard to breathe. For nearly a full minute, no words were spoken. Quinn and Hadley were staring at each other like two predators fighting over a piece of meat. Brittany had retreated to where Santana was currently sitting, her eyes looking on worriedly. The Latina had her arms wrapped protectively around Brittany's waist, her eyes moving slowly between Hadley and Quinn, and finally resting on me. Our eyes met, and for once in my life I felt like the two of us were on the same page. Neither one of us knew what was going to happen next, and it was a very discomforting feeling.

Quinn had been perfectly at ease when I first entered the room, going so far as to greet me and apologize for being early. She had apologized, not because she didn't want to be here, but for wanting to _see_ me sooner. Not once in our sordid past could I recall an instance in which Quinn Fabray had apologized to me, nor could I recall a point in which Quinn had seemed so nervous in my presence. As soon as Hadley had entered the room, that perfect image had faded completely. Quinn's defenses had gone up immediately, and she had acquired a look one might find on a rabid dog. It seemed the HBIC had emerged from her slumber, and was ready for whatever was thrown her way.

Hadley, when she had walked back into the room, was wearing a look completely different from the one that I had seen her leave with. Truth be told, I wasn't sure if I was fond of the look she was currently wearing. Her eyes had a hardness to them that I had yet to experience, and it almost frightened me. With two of the four cheer leaders currently glaring daggers at one another, it was as if I had never left McKinley, and it was starting to annoy me. Why couldn't things go smoothly for once? I looked to the floor, afraid to make any sudden movements, and began to think about why it was the two of them had reacted this way. Hadley had called Quinn 'Lucy.' The only Lucy I had ever heard her mention was the girl who...who beat her at cheer leading and singing, and forced her to transfer. Lucy...was Quinn? It seemed that I wasn't the only person to have their life turned completely upside down by Quinn Fabray.

I cleared my throat softly and instantly regretted it, feeling the way a goldfish might in a tank full of piranha.

"Hadley, hello. So...I gather that no introductions are required?" I let out a small laugh, trying to ease my nerves.

I looked up at Hadley who had yet to look away from Quinn. Quinn stood still, her shoulders squared and her chest puffed out. I couldn't know for sure, but I'd bet my Barbra collection that neither one of them had yet to blink.

"Oh, I know Lucy very well, and I'm sure she remembers me. Don't you, Lucy? Or is it Quinn now?" Hadley's clear voice broke through the silence, causing me to take in a large breath. Something was telling me that this encounter wasn't going to go well, and that I should be prepared to flee if opportunity arose. I looked to Quinn, who up until now had barely moved a muscle.

"Hadley, it's been a long time. Though you are in fact a person who is easy to forget, I still have the image of you ingrained in my head of always falling short."

Santana let out a bark of laughter which was immediately silenced by a stern glare from Brittany. I turned to Quinn, shock on my face.

"Quinn! That was completely uncalled for!"

For a brief moment Quinn looked almost ashamed, her head turned to the side, unable to meet my eyes. Hadley laughed softly and stepped forward.

"Rachel, it's fine. I've come to expect this from her. Changing your name doesn't change the person underneath. It seems that she's the same stuck up bitch that she was all those years ago."

For the second time, I turned to face her, my expression aghast.

"Hadley! I understand that you and Quinn have had a rocky past, but perhaps you could attempt to at least be civil?"

Hadley crossed her arms over her chest and turned to me, an argument on her lips. Before she was able to speak, Quinn stepped forward, smirking widely.

"Are you kidding me? You told her about all of that stuff? What's the matter, needed a pity party to keep you going?" Quinn kept on smirking, feeling ever the victor when Hadley failed to respond. I kept my eyes trained on Quinn to gauge her reactions, and if I was right, then she'd be reacting just about...

Now.

A look of concern came over Quinn's face, instantly shattering her bravado act. She did her best to hide it, but I could tell that inside she was panicking.

"Wait...you told her everything?" Quinn bit her lip nervously and then hazarded a glance in my direction. From her tone, I could hear that she was trying to maintain her tough act, but with each second that passed, it was starting to fail her.

"Rachel, listen. That was...that was a long time ago. I was a different person then." Her words were sped up, her tone becoming nearly frantic. Her hazel eyes met mine, begging me to understand. The longer I kept her gaze, the more I felt my anger softening. I wanted to step forward to reassure her, to comfort her, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me from moving. I looked up at Hadley, who was currently wearing a confused expression.

"Rachel, is she the reason you had to leave your school? Oh wait. Let me guess. It was Santana and Quinn, once again double teaming. How unoriginal." When I lowered my head to the ground in response, Hadley let out an incredulous laugh. When she looked up at Quinn, all humor was gone from her eyes, and her tone was low and threatening.

"Please enlighten me Quinn. Why is it exactly that you're here? Tell me it isn't because you grew bored of the lack of people left to bully, so you decided to follow Rachel? If that's it, then you can leave right now, because I won't let that happen."

Quinn let her eyes drop to the jacket I was wearing, the fire in her eyes igniting once more. My breath caught in my throat at the sudden show of fury in her eyes, and my words stopped right along with it. Quinn's soft voice broke through the tension, knocking me out of my reverie.

"Rachel. Tell me you aren't...with her. Please tell me you haven't lowered yourself that far. You can do better than her, Rachel. Listen to me. She isn't worth your time." Quinn was staring at me hard, waiting for a response. When Hadley wrapped her arm around my shoulders, I released a deep breath, still unable to speak. Quinn glared heatedly at the arm around me, her jaw set and teeth clenched together. I had never seen Quinn act in such a way, and was slowly becoming more and more worried.

"Suddenly it all seems so clear. Did you ever get the chance to tell her? How you really feel?"

Quinn immediately looked down, her cheeks lightly flushed. When she looked back up, her eyes were steely, and completely devoid of emotion. I looked between the two of them, my confusion obvious. What was she talking about? Tell who how she felt about what?

Hadley smirked and then looked at me. She put her finger under my chin and tilted my head up. Before I could register what was happening, a soft pair of lips met with my own. Completely forgetting about the other people in the room, I moaned softly. When I remembered that we weren't alone, I pulled away immediately, blushing furiously.

I brought my fingers to my lips slowly, and then met Quinn's eyes. I regretted it instantly. Her eyes were once again in a state of flux, barely able to meet my own. The anger seemed to radiate off of her in waves, and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Just tell the truth, Quinn. You aren't here to bully Rachel; no, you're here because you _want_ Rachel, in a way that I can assure you is not mutual. You sure are screwed up, Fabray. You bully her so badly that she has to leave her school, and now here you are, pining after her?"

My eyes shot up to Quinn's, my jaw dropped nearly to the floor. What Hadley was insinuating was absolutely ridiculous...wasn't it? Quinn Fabray wasn't gay, and was most definitely not attracted to me. Quinn Fabray was practically the poster child for straight, American teenage girls. If that was the case, then why was she looking away, her expression so pained?

"This has actually been fun. Definitely made my night. Go ahead Quinn. Do it. Tell her you don't want her. Tell her that you haven't fantasized about being with her."

At this point in the conversation, I expected Quinn to turn around and rush out of the room. Surely what Hadley was suggesting was making her uncomfortable. Quinn and I were in the process of building our tentative friendship, and at that precise moment I thought I saw the foundation crumble before my very eyes.

"Hadley, stop. You're...you're making her uncomfortable. Quinn and I have come to an understanding. Granted, I don't agree with many of the decisions she's made in the past, but she and I have made amends, and are working on becoming friends. It's more than I could have ever hoped for, actually."

Hadley looked down at me, studying my expression carefully.

"The fact that you would even want to become friends with someone like her is beyond me. After everything that she's done to you, done to _me_, even? I'm sure we'll have time to discuss it later. But right now, I see something far more important going on, and I know Quinn sees it too. I want her to admit it. Why she's here. Why she decided to obsessively follow you to your new school, and why she can't even look at you. Go ahead Quinn. Enlighten us."

Quinn growled loudly and turned to face Hadley. After glaring pointedly at her, she finally looked at me, tears brimming in the corner of her eyes. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she turned around fully to look at the silent Latina. Santana stood up slowly and walked towards Quinn, shrugging off Brittany's hand on her arm, and ignoring her protests to sit back down.

"You don't have to stoop to her level, Quinn. Ignore the bitch. She's just talking shit. It's all she's ever been good at, really." A part of me wanted to defend Hadley, but she seemed to be doing perfectly well on her own at the moment.

Quinn turned to Santana, murmuring softly. Santana nodded slowly before crossing her arms and looking at Hadley, eyes hard and face emotionless.

"I'm sorry, Quinn? What was that? Would you like to share with the rest of us?" Hadley put her chin on my shoulder, and smiled widely when Quinn clenched her fists together.

"I said...I'm not running away, and I won't lie to her anymore." As soon as those words left her mouth, I forgot how to breathe, and the world around me stopped moving entirely. She didn't deny it. She didn't throw an insult at me, and she hadn't stormed out angrily. If anything, she had just confirmed what Hadley had initially said. Which meant that Quinn...Quinn..she...

"Well. I think that you've said all that you wanted to say, Quinn. I think it's time for you to leave."

With Quinn's...declaration hanging in the air, Hadley's tone changed quickly. It seemed she was no longer enjoying her little game with Quinn. Apparently the answer she had received had caught her off guard, and she didn't like it.

Quinn's mouth dropped, and she stepped forward quickly.

"No, I'm not done here."

Hadley jumped forward, her voice coming out as a growl.

"Yes you are. Get your stuff and leave, and don't ever come back."

Quinn scoffed and smiled in a nasty way that I was used to seeing in the hallways. Her eyes narrowed as she stared Hadley down. Her next words were spoken in a menacingly low tone, so much so that I didn't catch what she said.

"You're still nothing. I want you to know that. You may speak like you've made something of yourself, but the truth is, you'll always be below me."

Hadley took another step towards Quinn.

"That might be all well and good, but there's one thing that I have that you will never take from me. You see that girl over there? It's me she wants, not you. I'm the real winner here. You get to leave with your tail between your legs, once again _alone. _She's mine. Not yours. Mine. How does that taste? Not much like winning, huh?"

Quinn took another step forward, and I was suddenly scared that I would have to intervene to stop a fight.

"I guess you don't know Rachel as well as you think you do. No one _owns_ Rachel Berry; no one. She's completely her own person. And that jacket stunt? Trying to prove to all of your jock friends that she's yours? She'll figure it out. She's a smart girl. It won't take her long to see what you're doing." Before Hadley had a chance to speak, Quinn pushed past her and stepped in front of me, placing her hands on my shoulders. Her eyes were clear, all traces of previous anger were completely erased as our eyes met.

"Quinn...I...I don't know-"

Quinn put a finger softly to my lips to silence me, grinning slightly when a small blush appeared on my cheeks. She spoke in a low tone, reserved for only us.

"I know that you don't understand. I know that none of this makes sense. In time, I promise it will. I promise you that I'll explain things to you..now just isn't that time. Please. Please tell me that you haven't lost faith in me, and that you want to see me again. Please."

I nodded my head many times, trying my hardest to use my words. I cleared my throat and looked up at her.

"Yes...yes, I want to see you again."

Quinn let out a soft breath and took a step back, relief covering her face. Hadley continued to glare at her until Quinn made her way back to the window.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from her. Oh, and do me a favor, will you? Take Brittany's dog with you, and keep her leashed up next time. I don't like looking at her."

I couldn't hear what was being said, but from Santana's reaction, it wasn't something entirely nice. It seemed like it was taking all of Brittany's strength to keep Santana from rushing forward. Hadley turned away from them, staring hard at me.

"Rachel, I'm sorry for the way I reacted. I'd like to talk to you more about this later if you'll let me."

With that said, Hadley turned and made her way out of the room, shutting the door loudly behind her. I rubbed my eyes hard and sat back on my bed, placing my head in my hands. The only sounds in the room were currently coming from Santana, who at the moment was kneeling in front of a very sad looking Brittany, murmuring softly.

"Te amo. Tú eres mi corazón. Te amo, lo siento. I didn't mean to push you away, Britts."

Brittany wiped at her eyes and placed her forehead to Santana's.

"I know, Sanny. I know. You were just worried for Quinn. Te amo, Santana."

Santana let out a half sob, half laugh, and placed her head in Brittany's lap. Such a blatant display of affection caused me to look away, feeling as though I were intruding on a very personal moment. Unfortunately for me, upon looking at anything that wasn't Brittany or Santana, my eyes met Quinn's, and I was unable to tear away. Her eyes gazed softly into mine, trying to convey...what, exactly?

The sound of the door opening caused Santana to jump up, and Quinn to step forward, breaking our eye contact immediately. The person that entered wasn't at all who I expected, though their entrance fsiled to inspire feelings of comfort.

Cameron stood there, her hands in her pockets, her eyes looking everywhere but at us. When Santana growled and moved forward, Cameron took a step back and put her hands in front of her in a show of surrender.

"I know you don't want to see me. I know that I've been horrible lately, and I'm probably one of the last people that you want to see right now. Given the appropriate chance, I'd like to apologize to both of you formally." She looked towards Santana and Brittany, an overlaying sadness in her eyes that she couldn't quite mask.

"I just wanted to warn you that some of the teachers are coming this way, so you might want to...uhm. Get going, before they get here. That's all."

With that said, she gave Brittany one last meaningful glance before heading back into the hallway.

Santana looked away, her eye brows knitted together.

"I still don't like that girl. But she's right. We need to get out of here, Quinn. Berry, I'm sure I'll see you around some time soon. Sorry for all of this, but I think in the end it'll be worth it." Santana turned to Brittany and pulled her in close. Placing her lips onto Brittany's in a chaste kiss, she pulled back and made her way to the window. I glanced at Santana briefly before looking at Quinn.

"I'll see you soon, Rachel. I'm sorry it turned out like this, but I swear to you, I'm not running away again." With that said, Quinn turned to where Santana was waiting, leaving me standing there with so many questions unanswered.

"Wait! Please. Wait. Just...explain to me. I don't understand. Please."

Before Quinn was able to speak, Santana spoke up, her tone firm, yet understanding.

"We have to go, Berry. Now isn't the time. If Quinn and I get caught here, we won't be able to come back easily, and then you'll never understand. You get me? I won't be able to see Brittany, and you...well, you'll miss out on something that could potentially be amazing."

I nodded at her, but I was still unhappy with the answer. Santana nodded once in my direction and gave Brittany a wink before heading outside. Brittany jumped up and rushed Quinn, pulling her in what appeared to be quite a bear hug. Quinn smiled and pulled back, ruffling the taller girl's hair affectionately. I looked on nervously, not entirely sure how I should be feeling. Quinn hazarded a quick glance in my direction before following Santana outside.

This felt all too familiar, and yet at the same time, completely unlike anything I had ever experienced before. A part of me wanted to follow Brittany to the window and stare after the two Cheerios just as we had done before, but another part, one who was very confused and slightly frightened, wanted nothing more than to sit down and gather her thoughts.

When Brittany saw me collapse back onto my bed, she bounded over to me quickly, instantly by my side.

"Brittany. Please excuse my language, but given the current situation, I believe that it is entirely warranted but...what the_ hell _just happened?"

Brittany frowned deeply and laid down, cuddling into my side.

"Well...I think that Quinnie has a lot she needs to explain to you. I think when you guys are able to talk, you'll understand everything a lot better."

I looked up into her blue eyes, and saw nothing but honesty there. I moved my head to her shoulder and put my arm gently over her stomach, sighing in content when she moved her fingers softly through my hair. If only Santana could see us now. I could imagine the uproar that this position would cause, but I felt no guilt. This was solely for comfort, something which I was in dire need of at the moment.

"Brittany, what did she mean? Hadley said something about Quinn's feelings; feelings for who, exactly? And what did Quinn mean when she said she couldn't lie anymore? I feel like so much happened all at once, but it was all too fast for me to comprehend."

Brittany sighed softly, keeping silent for a moment.

"I think that Q has a lot of feelings, and she can't keep them inside anymore. She used to be really good at it, just like San. The both of them are really great at pretending that they're full of nothing, when really they both have so much inside of them that it's hard to keep it all in sometimes, you know?"

I nodded against her shoulder, her explanation making perfect sense.

"Q..the way she looks at you is different. _She's_ different. Whether you meant to or not, I think you changed her, Rach. She seems lighter; happier."

I sat up slowly, thoughts racing through my head a mile a minute.

"Why, oh why, did she have to say those things? Just when I thought I knew what I wanted, and how things were going to play out, Quinn Fabray throws a wrench into it. I should be angry with her. I should be livid. She treated me terribly, and to find out that she did the same thing to Hadley? I shouldn't even want to see her."

Brittany nudged me softly. "But?"

I relaxed my shoulders and sat up straight. "But I'm not, and I do. A part of me understands Quinn, and how she could do the terrible things that she's done. I should, by all right, be furious with her. But I'm not. And you know why? It's because she's human. We all make mistakes, even Quinn Fabray. I think that we all need someone there to forgive us, and tell us that things will be all right in the end. I think that Quinn has kept up her end of the bargain so far, which shows me that she's serious about wanting to make amends."

Brittany nodded and stood up, heading to her own bed.

"But..you know she wants more, right? You could see it in her eyes, couldn't you?"

I hummed softly in response. "I saw something there Brittany, something that wasn't there before. I'm not entirely sure what it means. It could be nothing, and I'm looking into more than I should be, but everything she said...I'm just so confused right now, and none of it makes sense."

I paused to gather my thoughts once more, and continued on.

"I never for one minute thought that Quinn could feel the same. I hoped and prayed everyday, but the rational side of me knew it could never happen, and that I should just move on. But now she's here, saying nothing and everything at once, and I don't know what to do. Brittany, please, lend me your infinite wisdom. What should I do?"

Brittany scrunched her face together, ever the perfect image of deep thought.

"You need to wait. I know it sucks, but you need to wait until you can talk to Q. You also need to talk to Hadley. I'm sure she's pretty upset right now, too. Seeing Q set her off, and I don't think she reacted in a way that she wanted you to see."

She was right. There was really nothing I could do until I was able to speak to Quinn. And then there was the issue of Hadley. What were my exact feelings towards her, and how did she feel towards me? I knew that we were in the process of developing into something more, but was that what I really wanted? I knew that after Quinn, I had to move on for the betterment of my sanity. But...was Hadley the right person? An even bigger question at the moment; did I _want _to move on?

"Oh. Rachel. One more really important thing."

I leaned closer, listening intently.

"Don't wear that jacket around Q. It made her really unhappy. She tried to hide it, but I could see that she was sad."

I looked to the article of clothing that I had discarded haphazardly after everyone had left. It made Quinn unhappy? It was just a jacket. Why did she have such an adverse reaction to a piece of clothing?"

"I don't think I understand, Brittany. Why would that bother Quinn? Hadley gave it to me to keep me warm. It was a very sweet gesture."

Brittany looked to the side, avoiding my questioning gaze.

"What aren't you telling me, Brittany?"

Brittany huffed and finally looked my way.

"It's just...usually you give your Letterman to someone that you're dating. It's pretty much a way of saying almost that you belong to that person, and that you're of limits. Quinn saw it, and she wasn't happy. I'm actually surprised that she didn't try to take it off of you herself." Brittany got up and headed to her closet. After a few minutes of rustling noises, she emerged with a smile on her face, and her arm raised out to me.

"See? This is Santana's. She gave it to me in secret, because we had to be really careful around other people. I have hers, and I gave her mine. Sometimes when I miss her really badly, I wear it to bed. It always gives me good dreams."

I took the article of clothing from her hand and inspected it closely. It was definitely the official jacket of the Cheerios, and had Santana's name and Cheer number on it.

My jaw dropped when I realized what it was exactly that she had said.

"Rachel Berry belongs to no one! We aren't even officially dating yet. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was the work of one of the football jocks."

Brittany placed the jacket back into her closet, a small smile on her face.

"Cheer leaders can get just as bad. They like people to know who they're dating, so they know that they're off limits."

I crossed my arms over my chest, not liking the direction that this conversation was headed in. Before I was able to speak, a small knock on our door silenced me. Less than a second later, Hadley walked in, her head lowered slightly.

"Rach...can we talk now? I need to explain some things to you. I know I reacted badly, and I was wondering if we could maybe talk about it?"

I turned to Brittany, not wanting to be alone right now. Brittany gave a barely noticeable nod before walking into the hallway, shutting the door softly behind her. As much as I wanted her to stay, I knew the appropriate thing to do was get this cleared up. Hadley wiped at her eyes before sitting across from me. I remained silent, unsure of what to say.

"I don't like that she came here. I don't like it, for very obvious reasons. That girl made my life hell, and seeing her...it brought back some very unpleasant memories for me. What I don't understand is why you even let her in. I know her, Rachel. I know the real Quinn. I'm sure that everything that she said to you was garbage, and she's spewing lies so she can use it against you later. That's the kind of person she is. Quinn Fabray has no feelings."

I stared at her for a minute, going over in my head exactly what I wanted to say.

"Are you quite finished? Listen, Hadley. I know that Quinn was downright cruel to you when you were younger. I understand, more than you'll ever know. What I need _you_ to understand is that I believe in second chances. I believe that people can change, and that they can change for the better. When Quinn first came to me, I reacted much in the way that you just did. I was angry, and I wanted to lash out at her for hurting me. But you know what? That accomplishes absolutely nothing. I made the conscientious decision to forgive Quinn, because I knew that she was sincere, and that she wanted to change. I don't trust her completely, but I'm willing to work on that."

Hadley jumped up, her fists clenched tightly.

"You can't trust her, Rachel! She's bad news. She always has been, and she always will be! She's going to hurt you, and she's going to hurt you badly. I...I don't want you seeing her. I don't want her coming back here."

I lifted an eyebrow slightly, trying to calm down. Getting up, I moved to where her jacket was currently hanging. I put my hand out, waiting for her to take it back. I sighed softly, no traces of anger in my voice.

"I understand why you're acting this way, really I do. But this is my decision, not yours. I don't blame you for the feelings that you have towards her. There is one other thing, though, concerning you and I. I think that we may have moved too quickly. I think that in all of my excitement of meeting new people and getting away from all of the negativity, I lost sight of what was important to me. I really do want to be your friend, Hadley. Right now though...I think that's how we should remain. I'm not ready to rush into anything. I hope you understand."

Hadley took the jacket from my hand softly, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

"I won't give up on us, you know. As for Quinn...she's taken up far too much of my time today, and I'd really like to stop talking about her. I'll see you later, Rachel. I promise you, I'm going to make this work." Before I was able to respond, she had already left the room, jacket in hand.

Though it was true that Rachel Berry had a flair for the dramatic in life, this was the complete and utter definition of going overboard.

...GLEE!

Brittany walked through the hallways, looking for the one person that she usually tried to avoid. The girl's earlier actions had confused her, and she wanted answers. She didn't have to look much further than the bleachers. There on the top step was the frail looking girl who's actions had potentially saved Santana and Quinn.

"Cameron. Why are you out here all alone? It's getting cold."

Cameron's gray eyes looked up to meet Brittany's, a look of panic in the rolling fog. The last time they had been out here, it hadn't ended well.

"I just wanted to clear my head, that's all."

Brittany took a seat next to Cameron, unsure of what to say. She knew that she was thankful, and she knew that the appropriate thing to do was to voice her thanks. What she didn't want, however, was for her words to be misconstrued into being something that they weren't.

"Cameron, I..what you did earlier..."

Cameron cut Brittany off, her nerves getting the best of her.

"Brittany, don't thank me. Please. I have so much to apologize for. I know that I went too far. Believe me, I know that. I've been thinking a lot about that, and I really wanted the chance to apologize to you. I see now what she means to you. I see now that you belong together. I won't say that it doesn't hurt, because it does. But Brittany, if she makes you happy, then I'm happy too. She really does care for you."

Brittany smiled widely, surprised by the shorter girl's words.

"You mean it? You're like, okay with it and stuff?"

Cameron gave a small laugh, a sound that Brittany hadn't heard in a long time.

"I am okay with it, and I'll be okay. It'll take time, but Brittany, I really miss you. I miss being your friend. We had some fun times together."

Brittany openly laughed at this, remembering the fun times that they had shared.

"I miss being your friend too, Cameron. I want to hang out, I want to get back to that point where we laughed with each other and joked around about dumb things. But...you have to understand. Santana will want to be there when we hang out, at least in the beginning. I know her. She doesn't trust you, and you kinda have to see it from her perspective."

Cameron nodded thoughtfully, expecting no less.

"It's okay, Brittany. I do understand. Maybe...maybe she and I could even become friends too. Who knows."

Brittany laughed and stood up, and Cameron following suit.

"Can I hug you now? Is that okay?"

Brittany nodded, smiling softly at the girl's timidity.

What the two of them failed to notice, however, was that at _just_ the right angle, that hug seemed far more intimate than it was. They failed to notice that if you happened to be walking by at _just_ the right time, that hug looked more like a kiss. They failed to hear the shutter of the camera as it went off, just as easily as they failed to hear the retreating footsteps on the soft grass.

**...GLEE!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: It sure has been a long time! Sorry about that. School was overwhelming, so I had to put writing on the backburner for a while. Just remember though—no matter how long it takes me to update this story, I will never abandon it. It may take a few months, but it'll get out there. Okay! Next order of business! A lot of you seem super pissed about Rachel forgiving Quinn so quickly. In all honestly, I like the way it's playing out. Rachel is a very forgiving person—she believes wholeheartedly in second chances. Who better to give a second chance to than the person you're in love with! Rachel has seen what Quinn can be like, and she knows that the mask she puts up for everyone really IS just a mask—she wants nothing more than to know the girl underneath, the girl that she knows Quinn really is. Hadley is going to appear some more, but Faberry is going to be prominent now—or at least in the developmental stages-but Hadley WILL be around. You don't think she'd give up on Rachel that easily, do you? A fair warning, though-this isn't a happy chapter. Let me know what you think—I really do appreciate the criticism and compliments—it helps to have outside opinions. So, yeah! Once again, I apologize for the delay, but here we go!**

"_Ain't nothin' gonna to break my stride, nobody's gonna slow me down, oh-no, I got to keep on movin'…"_

Morning had come much faster than I had anticipated, and for once in my life, Matthew Wilder's classic lyrics failed to inspire me. I lay in my bed, eyes glued to the ceiling, thoughts racing through my head at light speed. A part of me wished that the events of last night were nothing more than the sequences of an odd dream, but when I awoke, the gravity of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks.

Though I still believed myself to be in a complete state of shock, a small part of me was bursting at the seams with excitement. That minute part of me, which was much bigger than I wanted to admit, felt as though it was on a massive roller coaster for the first time. I don't mean the giant twists and turns that make you feel as though you're going to lose your lunch; I mean the ascent.

In that moment, your heart pounds furiously because you know that this ride is going to be like nothing else that you've ever experienced. You fight with yourself as to whether or not you should hold on or raise your arms up high to fully capture the thrill. The ascension is slow, helping to further build the excitement that's sure to come. Your heart pounds; the smile on your face is so wide that it almost hurts. You finally reach the top…and the rest of the ride is still to come.

This is how I felt in regards to Quinn Fabray's _almost_ confession. Her words repeated in my mind so clearly that she might have well been in the room with me. Perhaps this was the wrong way to think about it. It was what Quinn _didn't_ say that really caught my attention. Hadley had pushed Quinn into admitting…what, exactly?

Brittany told me that I needed to be patient and wait until I was able to speak with Quinn properly, but waiting patiently was proving to be a difficult task. I wanted Quinn in front of me, explaining everything, and I wanted a firm lock on the door so that there was no chance of intrusion.

Groaning softly, I hopped out of bed and walked over to where Brittany was sleeping soundly. My alarm had failed to wake her up, so it was up to me to make sure that we were on time for class. Waking Brittany was a delicate task. If done incorrectly, I would be stuck in a room with a cheerleader whose temper had the potential to far exceed that of her partner's. Sometimes I wondered if Brittany had picked up any of Santana's positive traits, if any existed at all.

I shook my head softly. No. I couldn't think like that anymore. Santana and I were becoming friends, slowly but surely. Though I couldn't kick the habit of being on my toes, ready for the next assault, I needed to work past it and realize that Santana was actually a caring individual that hid behind a constant mask, much like Quinn Fabray.

Ugh. Quinn. I couldn't go a minute without the blonde girl's name making its way into my thoughts. I shook my head hard, trying to shove Quinn to the back of my mind. At this moment I had more important matters to attend to.

"Brittany. Psst, hey, Brittany. Wake up. We need to get ready for class."

Brittany rolled towards me, mumbling softly, her eyes still shut

"No, San. Put it in the other hole. No, not that one. The bigger one."

I backed up immediately, my face on fire.

"Mmm, there you go. Right there. Now push it in harder. No, harder than that."

I sputtered incoherent words, my face threatening to erupt. I stepped forward hurriedly, afraid that Brittany would continue. Grabbing her shoulder, I shook her as hard as I could.

"Brittany! Wake up!" I stomped my foot loudly and her eyes shot open. Her eyes narrowed up at me and I gulped audibly.

"Rach, why'd you wake me up? I was totally having the best dream."

I moved forward to put my hand on her mouth, but I was too late.

"San and I had just bought a new stereo and she couldn't figure out how to put it together. It was so big!"

I sighed to myself and smiled in relief, a hand on my chest. Of course. I should have known. Of course Brittany wasn't talking about—

"And then we totally scissored, and it was like, way hot."

And then the blush was back in full force.

"Brittany! We're going to be late!"

Brittany giggled and winked at me. I raised an eyebrow at her, wondering why she was acting the way she was.

"What's the matter, Rach? Getting all hot and bothered?" She reached forward and traced a finger lazily down my arm, smirking as my face almost caught on fire.

"Brittany. S. Pierce! I swear, I'm-I'm going to…I'll tell Santana!"

As soon as those words left my mouth, we both began laughing. Really, who would have thought that in the future I'd be joking about Santana Lopez in such a manner?

"I've decided that we really need to get you a calendar. We don't have class today. Something about professional deportation."

"Professional development, maybe?"

Brittany shrugged and moved further under her covers. "Something like that. Point is, no class means more sleepy time. More sleepy time means more Santana filled dreams." With a sweet smile on her face, she drifted back into what I assumed to be Santana-land.

Normally if I found myself with free time I'd spend it rehearsing for a solo or working on any assignments that may have been given out, but today I did something that I rarely did; I went back to sleep. Given the amount of stress that I had been forced to endure as of late, I decided that it was high time that I give back to myself. Though I hated to admit it, even I need rest every now and then, and this was a perfect opportunity.

It seemed that I had been asleep for only a short time when Brittany woke me up by jumping up and down repeatedly on the bed, but the clock beside me said that four hours had passed. I glanced up at her, one eye closed and the other half open. She continued jumping, her normal Brittany-smile on her face.

"Rach, you gotta get up!"

I moaned softly and threw the covers over my head. If she did it, why couldn't I?

"Mm. No. Five more minutes. Go 'way."

All movement on the bed stopped and I felt a slight weight drop down beside me.

"Alright, take all the time that you need, I'll just let Quinn know that you wanted to sleep more than you wanted to see her."

In a flash I was out of bed and Brittany was suddenly on the floor, nursing her now bruised bottom.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

Brittany frowned and got up slowly, her hands still on her rear.

"Geez, Rach, I didn't think you'd be _that_ excited to see Quinnie."

I glanced towards her and then turned away quickly, biting my lips softly.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm no more excited to see Quinn than I am to see Santana. If Quinn wants to visit, that's completely fine, but I am in no way going to go out of my way to get dressed up for her, nor am I going to take a shower make my hair perfect, nope, I'm going to act completely normal, and if Quinn doesn't like it, then that's just—"

"Rachel!"

"Yes, Brittany?"

"You're rambling again, which means you're nervous. Just go get ready. They should be here soon."

I huffed and jumped out of bed, heading towards the bathroom faster than I normally would have.

"Oh, and Rachel? Don't worry. I won't tell Quinn that you're getting all dressed up for her."

Before I had a chance to respond, Brittany shut the door on me, giggling loudly from the other side.

Was I really going to do this? Go out of my way to get Quinn to notice me? The idea seemed absolutely ridiculous, but as I found myself reaching for my more expensive shampoo, conditioner and body wash, I knew that it was precisely what I was doing. I wanted Quinn to notice me. I wanted to knock her off of her feet the same way she did to me every day at McKinley. I wanted to hit her senses like they had never been hit before.

As I lathered up and rubbed the washcloth down my chest, stomach, and finally my legs, I felt my face start to burn, despite the water being a little on the cool side. My imagination had always been extraordinarily active and vivid, and at this moment I was cursing it.

In my mind, the hand that moved the cloth down my body didn't belong to me. My hand did indeed grip the cloth, but another hand was covering my own, guiding it accordingly. The hand that gripped mine firmly was pale in comparison to my own, with perfectly manicured nails to cover perfectly slender fingers. I closed my eyes tightly, relishing the feeling of the soap gliding across my skin. The hand slid across my shoulders at a painfully slow pace and then moved down my now heaving chest.

When the cloth dropped past my stomach, I immediately threw my head back at the sensation, a small moan leaving my mouth. I had never before done anything like this, and it was almost overwhelming. I could _feel_ the person pressed hard against me, a hand gripping my arm tightly, keeping me in place. Their warm breath tickled the side of my neck as they were pressed flush against me, lips attached to my neck.

And that other hand.

God, the things that it was doing to me. As the hand began to move faster, I closed my eyes tightly, a barely audible whisper leaving my mouth.

_Oh, Quinn…O-oh my—_

"I have to pee! Hurry up, Berry!"

And just like that, the fantasy was shattered. I brought a trembling hand to my cheek, wondering what the hell just happened.

"Berry! Hurry the eff up! Like I said, I really have to—wait a minute. Was that a _moan_ that I just heard? Oh Berry you sly dog, you're totally getting it on in there, aren't you? Wait! No need to respond, just carry on, I don't mind a free show, cause really—Ow! Britts, ow! You're gonna rip my ear off, chica!"

I heard a light giggle behind Santana and Brittany's arguing and decided that I was never going to leave the bathroom, ever again. I'd have to live here; make Brittany bring all of my schoolwork and some food every now and then, because there was no way that I'd ever be able to face Quinn after what has just transpired.

A light knock caused me to jump slightly. If it was Santana again, she was going to regret having ever—

"Rachel? It's Quinn. Are you alright in there?"

I stopped breathing the moment I heard her voice through the door. She was so close, and that image before was so fresh in my mind, I found myself slipping into the scenario so easily.

"Please answer, Rachel. Ugh. Santana, she isn't responding, find me something so I can open this door—she may have slipped or something, and-"

"I'm fine!" My voice came out as a high pitched squeak, and for a minute I was afraid that Quinn would think that something _had_ in fact happened to me and would come barging in at any second.

"I just hit my elbow, no need to worry. I'll be out momentarily."

There was no immediate response from Quinn, just a silence that was deafening.

"Oh, okay. Well, just try to hurry. I don't know how much more I can take of Santana's whining."

I smiled widely, filled with relief.

I emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, scrubbed from head to toe, and dressed in clothing that my Fathers had kindly referred to as a 'skank outfit.' The skirt _might _have been on the shorter side, and the shirt _might_ have dipped a little lower than was normal for me, but I felt good about myself, and slightly adventurous.

As I shut the door behind me, I felt three pairs of eyes trained on me. While Santana's eyes were busy trying to burn a hole through my chest, Brittany was trying her best to avoid getting caught staring at the newly exposed skin of my legs. The one person whose attention I _really_ wanted was the only one who was actually looking me in the eyes. Quinn stared at me hard, a look in her eyes that I had never seen before. She didn't look upset, but then again, she didn't look happy, either.

I cleared my throat loudly, smiling when Brittany's eyes snapped back up to my face. Santana barely moved, but I didn't expect anything less than that from her.

"Hello, Quinn. It's nice to see you again. You're looking well."

Quinn smiled that smile which never failed to cause a flutter within my chest, looking as beautiful as ever.

"Hi, Rachel. You look—well, you look really nice."

A snort was heard from the other side of the room, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Okay, well, two things here. One: It's great to see you too, Berry! Oh, I'm doing great, thanks for asking! And two. Quinn, really? 'You look nice?' You have the sex look in your eyes, and the only thing you can think of saying is 'you look nice?' Pathetic."

My jaw dropped when Santana finished speaking. The 'sex look'? Maybe that's why I didn't recognize the look in her eyes; I had never seen it before. Now that I was seeing it for the first time, a warm feeling settled below my belly button. Did this mean that Quinn was attracted to me? I knew that I was attracted to her, very much, but was it mutual?

I looked at the floor for a minute before throwing a glance in Quinn's direction. She had her head turned away from me, but I could tell by her clenched jaw that she wasn't happy.

"Why is it that you never know when to shut up?"

Santana smirked in response, clearly not taking Quinn seriously.

"Lighten up, Q-Ball. You know it, I know it. There's only one person in this room who doesn't."

Quinn stood up quickly, her fists balled tightly together by her side. Sensing another fight, I jumped up quickly, hoping that intervention was unnecessary because I wasn't sure I'd live through a fight between the two cheerleaders. Before I could come between them, a slight movement near the door caught my eye. Something white slipped under the door, with black writing decorating the middle. Truth be told, I would gladly have gotten into the middle of a Santana/ Quinn fight rather than experience what was to happen next.

Brittany hopped up from her spot on her bed and bounded over to the door. She picked the envelope up carefully, a confused look on her face.

"What is it, Brittany?"

She turned it around some more before shrugging her shoulders.

"I dunno, but my name is on it. Weird."

She opened the white envelope slowly, a look of determination on her face. What she pulled from within appeared to be the size of her hand and rectangular in shape. Her earlier look of confusion had morphed dramatically, and Brittany suddenly looked as though she was going to lose her breakfast. She brought a hand up to her mouth and took a step back towards the door.

Santana got up slowly, her eyebrows knitted together.

"Brittany? What is it?"

When Santana rose to get up, Brittany threw her hands behind her back quickly, unable to look at the Latina.

"It's nothing, Santana."

This time I saw Santana's nostrils flare, her irritation steadily rising.

"Brittany. Let me see it."

Brittany shook her head and whimpered, clutching whatever it was to her chest. Before Brittany could react, Santana lunged forward and snatched it out of her hands. Brittany let out a yelp of surprise, and then rushed forward towards Santana.

"Sanny, please, it isn't real! Don't believe it, please!"

Santana's eyes were wide, and her breathing was loud and came out in shaky waves. The hand that wasn't holding the object was clenched tightly by her side, the whites of her knuckles showing through perfectly.

Quinn and I glanced at one another, and I shrugged in response.

"Santana? Brittany? What is it?"

Santana's head rose slowly, and I could see her mouth opening and closing repeatedly.

"This…this whole time. You've been playing me this whole fucking time!" Her words came out strained at first, as though she had lost her voice while sick, but her final words were said with a scream that made me flinch.

When Santana took a step towards Brittany, Quinn jumped up and grabbed her best friend from behind, pulling her back. Santana struggled in Quinn's grasp, some of her hair coming out of her once perfect ponytail, her mouth drawn together in a snarl.

Did Quinn think that Santana would really hit Brittany over…well, over whatever it was? The thought seemed impossible to me. Santana would never…would she?

"What's gotten into—oh. Oh wow…what…Brittany what is this?"

I picked the object up off of the floor, and realized quickly that it was a photograph. A photograph that I really wish I hadn't looked at, because it depicted Brittany in a way that caused me to question the blonde.

"You've been lying to me, this whole time. What the fuck, Brittany? I thought we were…I'm gonna…I'm gonna be sick." Santana covered her face with her hands and then drew them slowly through her hair.

"This whole time, you've been with that bitch, making me think that you loved me. Did you…did you _fuck_ her, Brittany? Did you two get together and _laugh_ at me behind my back? How stupid I was to think that this would work."

Brittany let out a loud sob and hugged herself tightly.

"I don't know—I don't know what that is! I talked with Cameron, and she apologized. We-we hugged, and that was it!"

Santana surged forward, only to be pulled back by Quinn once again.

"This looks like a lot more than a fucking hug, Brittany!" Her voice was raw, much like the tears that were streaming down Brittany's face.

I stood stock still, afraid to attract any attention. Quinn stood tall, her arms wrapped around Santana's middle. She tried not to show it, but I could tell that she was getting tired from holding the Latina back.

When I thought that the situation couldn't possibly get any worse—it did. The door to our room opened slowly, and in popped the other person from the photo. Her eyes went wide when they focused on Santana, and I could tell that she wanted to turn around immediately and leave the room.

"Is everything okay? I heard some yelling, and I also saw—"

One second. That's all it took for Santana to realize that Quinn had loosened her hold just a _tiny _bit, and she was free.

I let out a small cry as Santana rushed towards Cameron, her intent obvious to all. Not even a moment later, a cracking noise was heard as Santana's fist collided with Cameron's nose. The small girl dropped to her knees, cradling her wounded nose carefully.

Santana glared down at the girl and then walked back towards where Quinn was standing. Quinn's mask was firmly in place; she showed neither shock nor dismay for the situation. I myself felt as though I was going to pass out. How could we all be joking around one minute and then throwing cruel words and fists the next?

"I can't do this. I can't—I can't even look at you right now."

Santana shook her head and then jumped outside, taking off quickly. Brittany stood beside Cameron, looking unsure of what to do.

Quinn took a few steps forward and wrapped her arms around Brittany, who sobbed uncontrollably into her neck.

"I swear, we didn't do that—I would never do that to Santana. Never!"

I walked over to Cameron and helped the girl to her feet.

"Are you alright? Is it broken?"

Cameron winced as I touched her nose, but shook her head. "No. I don't think so."

I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at the girl, wanting an explanation.

"I came here because I heard yelling, and also because I saw Hadley rush away from your door. I know how pissed off she's been because of Lucy being here, so I figured that she was up to no good. I guess I was right." She turned to face Quinn and myself, wiping at the stream of blood that was dripping from her nose.

"I promise you both. That picture isn't real. I was there to apologize to Brittany, and that's it. We hugged, and then we parted ways."

I glanced from Cameron to Brittany, and then back to Cameron. Did Hadley really play some part in this? If so, why? Why do this to Santana and Brittany?

"I believe them. I don't think Brittany would ever do something like this to Santana, and Brittany would never let this kind of thing happen."

Quinn shook her head, looking at both of the girls. She rubbed Brittany's arms up and down, as if trying to warm her up.

"Hey, B. It's okay. Don't cry. We know you're telling the truth. You know how Santana is, though. She overreacts. She never thinks before she acts. Actually, we both know how stupid she can really be."

Brittany gave a halfhearted smile before looking as though she was going to burst into tears at any moment.

"Don't worry. Rachel and I are going to get her, and knock some sense into that thick head of hers, okay? You guys are going to be as solid as ever. I mean, you have to be. No one else in this world has that patience for that girl like you do. You're meant to be—that's just how it is."

Brittany sniffed loudly and then turned to me. I walked towards her and wrapped her in my arms, rubbing my hands across her back soothingly.

"It's going to be okay," I whispered. "Everyone has bumps in their relationships—it's natural. Quinn and I are going to get her back, and she's going to listen, whether she wants to or not."

Brittany nodded and then whispered back to me, "Please, Rachel. Please make her listen. I'll be so lost without her."

I nodded against her shoulder and then made my way over to where Quinn was standing. She jumped out of the window first, and I popped my head out to gauge the distance from the window to the ground. Quinn smiled up at me and reached her arms out, grabbing me gently by the waist and setting me down softly onto the grass. I smiled up at her, brushing a piece of hair behind my ear, suddenly feeling shy.

"Are you alright? That was pretty intense in there."

I sighed deeply, recounting each terrible moment.

"That was awful. Poor Santana. Poor Brittany. I hope Santana will listen to reason."

Quinn nodded firmly. "I'll make her listen. Fortunately the odds are in our favor; we have the car, and she's on foot. We'll find her eventually."

Quinn walked around to the passenger's side of her Porsche and opened the door for me. I smiled up at her and hopped in, pulling my skirt out of the way of the closing door. Quinn hopped in a second later and started the car. We drove in silence for what felt like hours. I had many things on my mind, but only one that I wanted to desperately ask her about. Was this the right time? Was it out of line to ask her about our last encounter while our friend's relationship was in ruin?

"I can see that brain of yours working overtime. What's on your mind, Rachel?"

I bit my lip and glanced outside. I wasn't sure if it was the right time or not, but I couldn't wait any longer.

"Quinn…about your last visit…I was wondering if you could maybe explain things for me?"

I expected Quinn to slam on the breaks and demand that I get out of her car and walk back to the school. I thought she'd yell at me, much in the way that Santana had yelled at Brittany.

But she didn't. A slight smile made its way onto her face, and I was relieved. I wasn't entirely sure if I could make it back to the school on my own at that point, anyway.

"That's what you want to talk about, huh?'

I nodded vigorously, overjoyed that she had remained calm.

"Very much so, Quinn. This has been weighing so heavily on my mind as of late, and I just—I need to know everything."

Quinn let out a deep sigh. "Everything?"

"Yes. Everything."

She smiled once more before nodding.

"Okay. Let's talk."

…**GLEE!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I hope everyone had an awesome holiday, and that you've all been well! This one is a bit short, but I'll be posting the other half tomorrow. It gets kind of sappy, and I wasn't sure how you'd all react to it, but I think it works well enough to convey what I wanted to convey. To those of you still reading this, you're totally rad, for the new people, welcome aboard! Much love, guys.**

As unimaginably excited as I was for Quinn to explain her last visit, I was also filled with something else that left me feeling ill. What if what she wanted to tell me wasn't what I wanted to hear? To be completely honest, I didn't know what it was I was expecting from her. It was true that I was overjoyed simply having the promise of friendship—and so far, she had kept true to said promise. A part of me thought that when she returned to McKinley after her first visit, I'd never see her again. She'd leave me alone with an empty promise, and I'd have once again fallen prey to Quinn Fabray.

But that didn't happen.

Quinn came back, and that simple action alone meant more to me than I could ever put into words.

The Quinn that I knew from McKinley was volatile; a ticking time bomb. It didn't take much to set her off, and I knew that from personal experience. I remember numerous occasions in which I simply bid her a good morning, and she exploded right in the middle of the hallway. That is the kind of reaction that I elicited after a mere greeting. Just how far could I push her until it became too much for her to handle? Maybe this was it. Maybe this was her limit, and I was just pushing her. I never was very good at backing off; persistence often bred results, but this time I wasn't so sure. How long would it be until she realized that she was making a huge mistake? Maybe taking a step back from the situation was the wise decision here. If I made Quinn feel smothered, she might lash out, much in the manner that I was accustomed to, and the last thing I wanted to do was push her away and potentially lose her for good. Having her in my life right now was confusing, but I knew for a fact that it was going to be a positive experience.

"Rachel? Hey, are you okay?"

Her voice was unbelievably soft. The only thing I could hear was the sound of the tires over the passing road, and the sound of Quinn's beautifully distinct voice.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking."

I could tell by the look on her face that she didn't believe me. She took her bottom lip between her teeth and hesitated, but I knew I'd be forced to explain myself.

"I'm a girl, Rachel. I know what 'I'm fine' means in girl-speak. I also know that if you don't start a sentence with something extremely colorful and filled with energy, then something is definitely wrong."

I studied her face briefly and then turned to watch the passing scenery.

"Maybe…maybe you shouldn't explain anything to me. Maybe we should just leave things as they are."

This time, she did stop the car, hitting the brakes a little harder than necessary. I hazarded a glance in her direction, but could barely see the expression on her face, most of it shrouded in darkness.

"Why? I don't understand. Just a little while ago you were—"

"I know. I know. I just—Quinn, these last few weeks have been very confusing for me. There have been so many new changes in my life. A new school, new friends, Hadley…"

I saw her visibly darken at this, turning her eyes away from me, her muscles tensing up.

"And then there's this." I made a move to touch the side of her cheek, but pulled back when I thought better of it. Though this seemed to be a moment in which this kind of gesture was warranted, I felt it far too intimate for what I needed to convey. "You. You come out from seemingly nowhere, wanting to be my friend, after so many attempts made by myself to initiate just that. Only there's more to it than that, isn't there?"

The sound of her teeth grinding together was my only response.

"Quinn, I don't know what changed for you—I don't know what it is you want to tell me, but I cannot lose this friendship; I just can't. I can't tell you how much it means to me that we have gotten this far—and you know what? This isn't far at all for most people, but for us, this is a giant step in what I think to be the right direction."

After almost a minute of complete silence, I took a deep breath and ventured forth once again, finding myself to be on already very thin ice.

"You have to understand and try and see this from my point of view. You were so cruel to me, both you and Santana. I mean, day after day, I tried to offer you the olive branch of peace and friendship, but it was always ignored. Don't get me wrong, the past is the past, and I have forgiven the both of you. But Quinn…you _hated_ me. You hated me so deeply that I have a difficult time trying to understand any of this."

I expected silence, but a small murmur was heard after I was done speaking.

"I'm sorry Quinn, I didn't catch that."

"I said I never hated you!" Quinn slammed her hands down hard onto the steering wheel, her voice coming out in a near scream, and soon dissolving into loud sobs.

Thin ice, indeed.

"Oh Quinn, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to push you—"

"Stop it. Please, just stop apologizing, you haven't done anything wrong, and you never have; the only thing you've done wrong is try to befriend someone like me."

I wanted badly to tell her that she was wrong, but she held a hand up.

"Listen to me, Rachel, and listen carefully. I never hated you. Never. If there's one thing that you take away from this conversation tonight, please, let it be that."

I glanced up to meet her eyes and placed a hand gently on her arm.

"Then why, Quinn? Why?"

Quinn groaned loudly and placed her head on the steering wheel. "Why. Why. That's the million dollar question, isn't it? The question that I've asked myself every single day since you've been gone and the question I'm sure you've asked yourself since the day we first met."

I retracted my hand and remained silent. How could I respond to that? Of course I wondered 'why,' every single day. Why me? Why did she detest me so much? Why couldn't we be friends? Why wouldn't I give up on her?

"I'm going to tell you a story, Rachel, because telling stories and getting lost in them has always been a way for me to cope, and this is the only way I think I can get you to understand."

Quinn was going to tell me a story? That was so utterly cute, and yet so unbelievably sad.

"There was once a young princess who ruled a land known as McKinley. She was a spoiled girl, who wanted for nothing, and her subjects were more than loyal, heeding her every beck and call. Because she was princess and held so much power, she never really knew if her friends truly enjoyed being around her because they liked her, or because they liked their newfound sway over the peasants. Because of this, the princess always felt very lonely, but she tried not to let it show. After all, she was their princess; she was meant to be strong at all times. One day, the princess was busy going through her normal duties, when something caught her eye. A young bard was causing an uproar, and a loud one at that. The bard interested the princess very much because she seemed to go by her own set of rules, regardless of what others thought of her. Day after day, the princess would make up excuses to run into the little bard, and the bard didn't seem to mind one bit. Whether it was a casual glance here, or a nod of the head there, something was happening between the two of them. Soon enough, the princess' subjects began to notice, and questioned her motives. Why would she want to consort with a lowly bard when there were so many other suitors available? The princess knew deep down how she felt, but decided to end everything with the girl. The princess was well aware of the type of person she was. Undeserving of love, she was cruel, as were her parents, the king and queen, and she didn't want to drag the sweet bard into that. She knew that the bard wouldn't listen though, because she was incredibly stubborn. She decided that cruelty was the only way to make her understand. Day after day, she and her subjects tortured the bard mercilessly, until the light in the bard's eyes no longer shone through. Each time that they parted ways, the princess cried herself to sleep, but she knew it was for the best. One day, out of the blue, she sees that the bard is no longer around, and receives notice that she's gone to another land, far away. The princess' subjects thought she should be overjoyed; after all, she had finally gotten what she wanted. But though the princess put on a smile, she felt hollow on the inside, save for a sharp pain in her chest. Unbeknownst to the princess, when the little bard left, she had taken with her a piece of the princess' heart, and the princess would forever wander lonely, missing half of herself, wondering why she couldn't just love…and be loved in return."

Quinn let out a deep breath and closed her eyes, no words left.

I wiped at the moisture that had gathered in the corner of my eyes and cleared my throat.

"The bard would have accepted all of it, Quinn. All of the good and all of the bad, because though the princess failed to see it, she was worth the battle. The bard would have fought as hard as she could, until they became one."

Quinn gasped loudly and turned to look at me, her tears still falling freely.

"While it may be true that I may have your heart Quinn, be aware that it goes both ways; you've always had mine. Always."

I reached forward and softly wiped the tears from her cheek, and cupped her face gently. I let out of a sigh of contentment when I felt her lean into my touch.

"We'll work on that happy ending when the time comes, Quinn, but this time is not for us."

Quinn seemed to snapped out of her reverie, pulling back and wiping at her eyes.

"You're right. We need to find Santana before she does anything stupid. Ugh. Who am I kidding? Chances are she's already done a million stupid things that could get her arrested. We need to find her."

I nodded quickly, waiting for Quinn to start the car. I glanced over at her when she had yet to move.

"Quinn, are you alright?"

Quinn's cheeks twitched slightly and I could tell that she was smiling.

"You really do look nice tonight, Rachel."

With that said, she started the car and we pulled away, the butterflies in my stomach fluttering like there was no tomorrow.

…**GLEE!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I swear I had every intention of posting this when I said I was going to, it's just that other junk got in the way. I'm in the process of joining the army, which has caused a ridiculous amount of stress. I won't bore you with specifics; just know that I really am sorry. Much love, everyone. **

Quinn and I drove around for what seemed like hours and still there was no sign of Santana. With each minute that passed I could see Quinn's frustration growing, the concern for her best friend reflected in her clenched jaw and tight grip on the steering wheel. We had been all around town, visiting the places that Quinn, Brittany, and Santana used to visit as the Unholy Trinity, and still nothing. I had tried to give Quinn some suggestions as to where Santana could be, but it wasn't received well.

"Perhaps we could try the fountain—" 

"No, Rachel, she wouldn't be there. You don't know her like I-shit. I'm sorry, Rachel. I didn't mean to snap at you."

I gave her a small smile and turned back to stare out the window, pretending to be interested in the passing scenery. "No harm done, Quinn."

Quinn grunted softly and slowed the car to a stop.

"Quinn, we need to keep going, Santana could be—"

"Santana can wait a minute, alright? I'm sorry for snapping at you, and before you interrupt me like I know you're going to, yes, it is a big deal. I promised myself I wouldn't treat you with anything less than the respect you deserve, so. I'm sorry."

As I continued to stare in awe, I could see Quinn start to grow uncomfortable. I placed a hand softly on her knee and leaned in, placing a light kiss against her cheek. Her eyes snapped to meet mine, a splash of pink beginning to show where I had kissed her. She lifted her hand up slowly and placed it on her cheek, a smile beginning to grow.

"Quinn. It's fine. I promise you. You're worried for both of your friends, and I understand that."

Before she was able to respond, my phone chimed loudly with the sound of an incoming text message. Quinn leaned over slightly to get a better look, and I eyed her suspiciously. I sighed softly, knowing what it was she was looking for.

"You don't have to worry. It wasn't Hadley. It's Brittany. She said that we should try the playground."

Quinn leaned back in her seat, the blush on her cheeks back in full force.

"I didn't—I mean, I'm not—ergh. I'm sorry. Wait, what did you say? The playground? I'm such an idiot! That should have been the first place we checked."

Honestly? That was the last place I'd imagine Santana to be, unless she planned on tormenting school children, which seemed improbable considering school wasn't currently in session.

"Why the playground, Quinn? I don't understand."

Quinn started the car, the sound of its smooth engine cutting into the night.

"It's their place. It's always been their place. Ever since they were both little, and Santana took to protecting Brittany from the schoolyard bullies."

Quinn must have seen the anger in my eyes because she held up a hand to silence me.

"I know what you're going to say, but you have to understand. Brittany is a beautiful person, inside and out, trust me, I know that. But to other people, other cruel people who have nothing better to do than to tear down probably the only genuinely kind person I know, she's a target."

How anyone could be cruel to Brittany was just beyond me. She really was the sweetest person I had ever met, and trying to imagine someone wanting to hurt her was utterly ridiculous, and left me fuming.

"It was tough for Britt in the beginning. As corny as it sounds, I sometimes think that Brittany is just too sweet for this world, and it worked against her. But, eventually the time came when Brittany had something in her corner that everyone else on the playground lacked."

"I couldn't stop the grin that began to form. "Santana. She had Santana in her corner."

Quinn returned my grin and nodded. "That's right. When she and Santana became friends, the taunts stopped as quickly as they had started, and soon Brittany was overwhelmed with chocolates and stuffed animals from bullies who wouldn't dare make eye contact."

I laughed openly at that, although I probably shouldn't have found it funny, given my own personal experiences regarding bullies and the like.

"So, tell me more about Santana and Brittany. How exactly did they get to where they are now?"

Quinn shook her head, smiling apologetically. "That isn't my story to tell. I have no doubt that if you ask Brittany, she'll be more than willing to share every little detail with you. All I can tell you is that it's always been the two of them, taking on the world together."

I frowned at that, and Quinn glanced at me questioningly. "The two of them seem so in tune with one another and so close, inseparable, even. Being sent away must have been so hard on Brittany."

Quinn chuckled lightly. "Actually, it was the other way around. Brittany is a lot stronger than you give her credit for, and Santana…well, sometimes, as we both know, her emotions get the best of her. I can't tell you the number of times she's called me up in the past, crying over the phone because she missed Britt so much."

Now_ that_ I didn't expect. I always imagined Santana to be the steadfast one in their relationship. It wasn't that I didn't think Brittany capable; it was just the general aura of unwavering confidence that Santana seemed to exude made me think that she was the anchor that kept them both grounded. There was so much more to these two girls than met the eye, that much was certain. It made me wonder about the many generalizations I had in mind concerning Quinn, and how utterly far from the truth I really was. Quinn's soft voice broke through the silence that had settled over us, and I realized that we had arrived.

I leaned forward in my seat, trying to get a better look, the seatbelt keeping me firmly in place.

"Okay, so. Playground shrouded in darkness, and eerie wind present to accompany this already unsettling idea. Lovely."

Quinn smirked and unclasped her belt. "It's okay, Rachel. You can stay here. I'll try to make this quick." She opened the door and I grabbed her arm tightly.

"Quinn Fa_bray_! You would really leave me alone in this car, completely vulnerable so that any random passerby could simply swoop in and take me away to their secret hideout and do god knows _what_ to me!"

Quinn blinked a few times and then squinted her eyes, trying to figure out if I was being serious or not.

"…Of course not, Rach. What kind of person would I be if I did that?"

I crossed my arms in front of my chest and stared at her. "Exactly!"

She shook her head and jogged to my side of the car, opening the door and putting her hand out for me to take. I raised my eyebrow, but she didn't move.

"Milady."

I took her hand and stepped out of the car, some of my previous anxiety dissipating.

"My, what a gentleman." She rolled her eyes and shut the door behind me.

"Oh hey, I think that's her. Let's go." She pointed in the distance but all I could make out was the shadowy figure on the swings that could _maybe_ have been Santana. Or maybe not.

"Quinn! Are you crazy? You don't know if that's her or not!"

Quinn sighed and placed her hands on my shoulders, a sincere look in her eyes. "I'll go first. Just make sure to stay behind me, okay? That way if this isn't Santana, and is in actuality some crazy chainsaw wielding freak, you can go run for help and tell everyone that I valiantly went first to protect you."

I stomped my foot and shoved her lightly. "Lucy Quinn Fabray, you take that back this instant!"

She wrinkled her nose and then glanced back up. "Let's go. Brittany is probably worried sick about all of us. We need to set Santana straight so those two can go back to being ridiculously sappy."

The mention of Brittany's name made me realize what was truly at stake here. How would Santana react upon our arrival, and was she just as angry as before? What was to become of their relationship? The thoughts rushing through my head scared me immensely. I didn't like the idea of Santana without Brittany and Brittany without Santana; it just seemed so…_wrong._

I clutched Quinn's arm tightly as we made our way towards the figure on the swing; she glanced down at me and nodded before moving forward. The closer we got, the tighter I held onto her arm, and I could feel her start to squirm. "Rachel, it's okay—gah, you're gonna rip my arm off."

I was about to protest when a soft voice interrupted.

"It's fine, hobbit. It's just me."

The sound of Santana's low voice was like a beacon of light in the darkness; I lit up immediately and ran towards her, unaware of what it was I was really doing. I ran at her at full Berry speed, wrapping my arms tightly around her. A moment later, I realized my error, and pulled away quickly.

"I'm so sorry, Santana. I don't know what came over me. It's just, you're here, and you're okay, and that makes me unbelievably—oh my god, what happened to your face!"

My hands went to my mouth to cover my obvious shock. When I hugged her, I didn't bother to glance at her face, but now that I pulled away, it was revealed in all its ghastly awe. Her lower lip was puffy, with a bit of blood trickling down the side. When she noticed my unabashed staring, she idly wiped at her mouth with the side of her jacket, and looked off into the distance.

It was then that I noticed her eyes. Her left eye was badly bruised and appeared as though it would close at any moment. If possible, her right eye was even worse; reflected back was sorrow so deep I felt my heart clench at the sight. When she chuckled softly, I glanced at her, my mouth agape.

"Ouch, Berry. You know, that's not very nice; I was born this way. I can't help the way my face turned out."

I knew that she was trying to make a joke to ease the tension, but it did nothing to help; if anything, it made it worse. Her voice lacked the sarcastic undertone that I had grown (not unhappily) used to. This person before me was not the Santana I had come to know and respect.

This was nothing more than a shell.

I glanced back at Quinn, forgetting momentarily that she was behind me, and had yet to say anything. She was studying Santana closely, an unreadable expression in her eyes. Santana glanced up and stared back, mirroring Quinn's expression.

"We gonna do this or are you just going to stand there and stare at me all night."

Quinn scoffed and stepped closer. "Let me see your hands."

Santana drew in a deep breath and presented her hands to Quinn. Her face looked unscathed in comparison to her bruised and bloody knuckles. Not a single knuckle wasn't covered shiny, still wet blood; I felt my stomach churn at the sight.

"Santana..why…what—"

"When she's upset, Santana likes to pick fights two different things; one, she enjoys berating the local bikers that frequent the bars of Lima—and two, she enjoys boxing matches with brick walls. My best friend, ladies and gentlemen."

Santana continued to glare and then turned to face me, letting out a grunt of pain with her effort.

"It's fine, Berry. No need to worry about Autie Tana; I can handle myself just fine."

Quinn growled and moved forward. "What would she say if she saw you like this? What would Britt—"

The scream that followed this scared me so badly that I jumped back, not ashamed of using Quinn to hide behind.

"Don't! Don't you dare speak that fucking name, you hear me, Fabray? Just don't."

Santana was standing now, visibly shaking. Quinn didn't budge an inch; she continued to stare at Santana, unflinchingly.

"You know that Bri—that _she _didn't do this. You know it, I know it."

Santana paced back and forth, her voice raising an octave. "Do I? Do I _really_, Quinn? Because frankly, I'm not convinced. This would have been the perfect escape for her. Her perfect chance to be free of…whatever _this_ is."

Quinn stepped forward and placed her hands on Santana's shaking shoulders. "I think that's what you want to believe. I think that you see this as a way to let her go, once and for all."

I guess it was just me, and I was missing something that was fairly obvious to the both of them.

"Wait…I don't understand. You want to leave her? Please be so kind as to explain this to me, because I have no idea what is going on."

Quinn squeezed Santana's arm and then turned to face me. "She doesn't think she's good enough for Brittany. She never has, really. She may deny it, but I've seen it."

A loud scoff was heard. "Thank you, Dr. Phil. Jesus Quinn, why the hell are you still a cheerleader? You should have your own goddamn talk show."

Quinn remained unwavering. "I can see it in her eyes when she thinks no one is looking. She looks at Brittany like she's going to disappear at any moment. Like she really doesn't deserve—"

"Because I fucking don't, alright?! I don't deserve her! She needs to be with someone who isn't a fuckup like me, someone who will treat her better than I do."

I walked up to her and tilted her chin down until we were looking eye to eye. "Someone like Cameron, you mean?"

She sniffed loudly and jerked her head away. "Yeah. Yeah, someone like her." She tried to sound like she meant it, but I was not convinced.

"You can't possibly be serious right now. You two are perfect together. I can't think of two people more meant for each other than the two of you."

Santana's little murmur of 'I can' and her glance towards myself and Quinn was not lost on me, but I chose to ignore it.

"Brit—ugh, fuck me. _She_ is something beautiful and pure in this cruel, fucked up world we live in. She needs someone untarnished; not me."

"That is complete and utter bullshit and you know it."

Santana clenched her hands into fists and stood tall.

"She needs someone who can physically be there for her when she's sad. She needs someone who can fucking _hold_ her and tell her everything's gonna be alright." Tears began streaming down her face, but she paid them no mind.

"She needs someone who can walk around with her in the middle of the day without fear of being caught, someone who can take care of her when she's sick, someone who can make her feel like she is the center of their goddamn universe, because she is worth fucking so much more than that." She let out a loud sob and dropped to the ground. Quinn and I both rushed in, Quinn wrapping her arms securely around Santana's waist, me kneeling beside her.

"You know," Quinn whispered softly, "to Brittany, you are all of those things and more. She sees no other person in this world the way she sees you. To her, you're everything, Santana. In this life, so few of us are fortunate enough to meet that one person we're destined to be with. You have. You can't let this go; I won't let you."

"_We_ won't let you. Santana, take it from someone who lives with Brittany. You are her world. You mean so much more to her than you seem to think you do."

Santana let out a deep sigh and smiled slightly. "Thanks, Berry. That means…well, it means a lot."

I returned her smile and then was hit by a sudden thought. "You don't think that she—you know, with Cameron, I mean, do you still think—"

"I know she didn't cheat, Rachel. Brittany would never do that to me. I just thought that maybe I could give her a chance to move on—be with someone worthy of her love."

The three of us stood and dusted ourselves off, Santana flinching noticeably. "Alright. What now? I need to go see Brittany. I need to apologize, make things right."

Quinn nodded . "Yeah, you do, but we need to get you cleaned up first. There's no way you're going to let Brittany see you like this."

Santana paused and finally took in her appearance. "Shit. Those bikers, man. Sure know how to hit, and sure don't like it when you tell them you took a ride with their mom. All night long."

I gasped and began sputtering, unable to form a real word.

Santana openly laughed at that, and I was suddenly feeling like this girl before me was the one I had come to know so well.

"She's adorable, Quinn. So, have you asked her out yet?"

Quinn's face dropped immediately, all traces of humor far gone. "You know, maybe I would have, if not for some puny bitch who likes to pick fights with guys two hundred pounds heavier than she is!"

Santana smirked while I remained quiet. Was Quinn really going to ask me out? I cleared my throat loudly, getting their attention.

"Santana, I think that you should call Brittany and let her know that you're all right. She was very worried about you."

Santana's smile faded quickly, her eyes becoming downcast.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Can I use your phone, Berry? I kinda, uh, smashed mine."

I put my hands on my hips, ready to scold her, but I was suddenly reminded of the fact that this was indeed a difficult night for the usually stoic brunette.

"Of course. Here you are, Santana."

"Hey midge, what's the code?"

I blushed and rushed over to her, whispering into her ear. I could tell that Quinn was staring at me, but I looked the other way.

"Wait. Are you for reals? Oh man, that is too prefect. I can't wait to tell Britt."

I made a move to steal my phone back from her, but she held it above head. I crossed my arms and huffed, walking over to where Quinn was. She quirked an eyebrow and smirked.

"Wanna tell me what that was about?"

I pouted and turned away. "Not particularly, no. Another time, perhaps."

Quinn bumped her shoulder to mine and then turned to watch Santana, who was frantically pacing back and forth like a tiger trapped in a cage.

"No Britt, it's me, I'm using Berry's phone. Yes, I'm fine. Brittany Pierce, I am so sorry—no Britt, it wasn't your fault, I was being stupid—ugh, yes, I remember what you said about calling myself names, Britt just listen okay, I'm trying to apologize here, baby. Yes, I'm fine, no I didn't—okay, yes I did, but those bikers were totes asking for it, you gotta believe me! Oh, crap. Yeah, I did, but it slipped, and I'm fine, I swear, Q and Berry are gonna patch me up—no, babe, I'm fine! Listen, I want to say all of the important stuff when we're face to face, okay? I just wanted to let you know that I'm with Quinn and Rachel, and they're taking care of me. We'll see each other soon, I promise. Hmm. Sure, I'll tell them. I love you too, so much Britt, you have no idea."

She shut the phone and stepped towards us, handing it back to me.

"That sounded like it went well?"

Santana rolled her eyes and drew her fingers through her hair. "Well, she's mad about the fighting, and the wall, but other than that, she's okay. She wants to see me." I couldn't help but return the smile.

"Santana, of course she does. Did you really doubt that?"

Santana shrugged and rubbed her eyes. "It doesn't matter what I thought. Okay. Patch me up, docs, we gotsta get moving. We have a double date to plan!"

**…..GLEE!**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Yeeah, so. Hey guys! It's sure been a while. I don't really have much to say except for the obvious—sorry it took so long. If you're still reading this, hey, you're amazing. Thanks for coming back. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, because I really enjoyed writing it. **

**...GLEE! **

Quinn and I stared at each other, Santana's declaration hanging between us. My breath caught in the back of my throat, and my heart began to pound furiously in my chest as I processed the words. Quinn's hazel eyes dropped from mine, and she put her hands together in her lap. She opened her mouth a few times, but no words were formed. Finally, she settled for chewing on her lower lip, and picking at an imaginary piece of lint on her uniform. Apparently we were quite a sight to behold, because Santana burst into laughter, her arms immediately wrapping around her small frame, a grimace quickly replacing the grin.

"You two. Really. Stop making me laugh so much, don't you know I'm in pain? Damn. Stop looking like you're about to faint, Berry. Breathe. And Q. I'm disappointed. I expected a big smile and shit. Don't you want to take the hobbit out? "

Quinn's head shot up, her cheeks coming to life in color. "Of course I do! B-but you know, I just wasn't sure a-and- stop calling her that! You know her name, why don't you use it?" Santana shook her head and pursed her lips. "Nice deflection, Fabgay."

I tried to keep it inside, but a loud gasp passed through my lips. My hand shot up to cover my mouth, but it was too late. Both cheerleaders were now staring at me, one with mirth dancing in her heavy lidded brown eyes, and the other looking slightly concerned.

Quinn wanted to take me on a date. Yes, I had heard it mentioned in passing when we were trying to work out Santana's issue, but it was pushed to the back of my mind to mull over at another point in time; I didn't think Quinn had meant to say anything out loud, and it was merely a slip of the tongue. But here it was again, now fully on display for me to ponder over. This was something that I was meant to hear, which meant that it was something that Quinn herself had thought about.

What would a date with Quinn Fabray entail, exactly? One of the many things I always admired about Quinn and found to be quite beautiful, was the way she seemed to have an old fashioned air about her. From the way she dressed to the way she carried herself, a part of me believed that she was suited for a different time frame.

Keeping with the belief that she was in fact old fashioned, how exactly would this unfold? Would she first ask for Dad and Daddy's permission to take me out? Would we hold hands, or would that, in her eyes, be too forward? What if she was nothing like I had imagined! What if she was crude, and lacked proper etiquette? What if she chewed with her mouth open while we were out to dinner? What if...if...

"Q, grab her, she's going down!"

Two strong hands grabbed my shoulders and kept me steady. I shook my head quickly and glanced between Quinn and Santana, who were both wide eyed at the moment.

"What happened?"

Quinn moved to kneel in front of me, a hint of her perfume assaulting my senses. When had she gotten that close to me, and when exactly had I moved from standing to sitting on the ground?

"You almost fainted, midge. What's the deal?" Santana was also kneeling, her eyes meeting mine searchingly.

Fainted? That was strange. The last thing that I remembered was Quinn, and the notion of a date...oh, there was that lightheaded feeling again. Quinn moved to steady me once more, but I gave her a small grin and a wave of my hands to let her know that I was fine.

"It's nothing to be concerned about, I assure you, I merely forgot to eat dinner at an appropriate time, and as you can see it seems to be taking its toll on me, and -"

Up until this point, I had been glancing around at everything that was not Santana or Quinn, but one glance towards the Latina caused my mouth to snap close immediately.

"Midge. You are the worst liar ever, but if that's what you're going with, then whatevs."

I hopped quickly to my feet, gently wiping away the dirt from my uniform. With both Santana and Quinn still on the ground, I was starting to feel silly, being the only one still standing. I smiled widely and put my hand out to help the blonde cheerleader up off of the ground, and was met with a light blush and a faint whisper of 'thank you.'

Knowing that I could get away with it without any serious repercussions, I smirked and put my hand out towards Santana, blinking innocently at her look of mistrust. After a few seconds of pondering, she put her hand out to grab mine, but tumbled forward when I pulled away an instant later. The reaction I was looking for was priceless, and Santana delivered as I knew she would.

"Goddamn hobbit! I knew I shouldn't have trusted you!"

Quinn watched the scene unfold, a hand moving up to stifle the giggle that had bubbled forth. I paused for a moment to fully absorb how she could make such a simple motion seem so beautiful, before remembering that my life was currently at stake. I rushed forwards towards Quinn's car, but slowed down, confused by the lack of footsteps sounding behind me.

I turned around expecting the Latina to be right behind me, and groaned when I remembered that she was injured. Currently she was on the ground, Quinn beside her, placing a supportive hand on her back to make sure that she was alright. I immediately ran towards her, silently berating myself for being so thoughtless.

"Santana, I'm so sorry! In my haste to protect myself, I had completely forgotten that you were injured. I figured that since we were in the beginning stages of friendship, a single joke would be acceptable!"

I ran up to her and stopped abruptly, attempting to gauge the situation. She was currently on her hands and knees, her face tilted towards the ground, hidden from view. I took a tentative step forward.

"Santana? Quinn, is she-"

I should have known better. The moment she looked up with that evil glint in her eye, I knew I had made a grave mistake. I had fallen right into her trap.

Faster than I could blink, she was up off of the ground, charging towards me like a tiger going in for the kill. I let out a loud scream as her arms wrapped around me, fingers digging into my sensitive sides.

"Santana!"...huff, gasp..."unhand me this instant!"

She laughed that deep, gravelly laugh that was hers alone before lifting me off of the ground and going in for more. Between struggling against her and trying to fight back the tears from laughing, I had nearly forgotten that Quinn was standing there.

Nearly.

From years of experience, my body was attuned to Quinn Fabray. Whether or not I was mindfully aware of her presence, my body reacted on its own whenever she was concerned, and this moment was no different. When Santana finally paused in her ministrations, I took the opportunity to really look at Quinn. She was standing a few feet away from us, her arms at her side. A casual glance might show a girl at ease, but this would be a false impression, and I knew her too well to be fooled.

Her hands were curled into themselves, the knuckles a stark white. I could tell by her jerky movements that she was clenching them erratically, and if she opened her palm, neat little crescent moon welts would have been left by her nails. As I moved from her hands to her chest, I knew that she was more than just a little upset. Her chest was heaving beneath her Cheerio's top. As much I wanted to avoid it, I needed to meet her eyes in search of some answers. What had happened in the subsequent five minutes that caused such unrest?

Her eyes mirrored her stance; they glanced everywhere and nowhere, but finally landed on the Latina that was still holding me close. They narrowed, and turned steely.

I, for one, was lost, but Santana seemed to know exactly what was going on. She chuckled lightly and placed her chin atop my shoulder. I tried to turn my head to question the slightly taller girl, but she just kept on smirking.

"Quinnie. What's wrong? You seem a little upset. What happened?"

Quinn growled lightly and stepped forward.

"Quit it, S. You know what you're doing. Knock it off."

Santana openly chuckled at that, and moved to place her hands over my stomach. I gulped audibly and tried to pull away.

"Santana, I know that we are working on becoming friends, but perhaps we have skipped a step or two?"

Santana leaned down, her lips right next to my ear. "Just wait. This is going to be hilarious."

Quinn, unable to hear what was being said, moved her eyes from mine to Santana's, and back again.

I was about to ask Santana what she meant, but I soon realized as her hands moved down from my stomach to cup my behind. I let out a loud yelp at the same time Quinn decided to rush forward, jaw clenched tightly.

"Oh man. You are insane, Fabray. Like I'd wanna mack on Berry when I have Britt. Take a chill pill." With that said, she playfully shoved me forward, right into Quinn's arms. Though the force threw us slightly off balance, she managed to right us both just in time.

"Are you okay? Did she touch you? I swear to god, Santana, as soon as Brittany's done with you, _I'm_ going to kick your ass."

Santana smiled, and gave Quinn the finger. Charming.

"Now, Berry, I want to educate you for a minute before we head back to see my BrittBritt. What you just witnessed was the beginning form of what I like to call 'Hulk-Quinn.' It usually takes more than a poke or prod to get Hulk-Quinn to come out, but one thing always works. Jealousy."

I glanced from Quinn to Santana, wondering what she was talking about.

"Jealousy? What exactly do you mean?"

Santana sighed and shook her head. "I thought you were supposed to be all smart and whatever." When Quinn shot her another warning look, Santana smiled, unperturbed.

"Pay attention, because I'll only do this once. That beat down has me messed in all kinds of ways. Ahem."

Santana put her arms out to her sides, much like an angry gorilla would, mouth contorting, voice as deep as it could go.

"Me Quinn. Me no like when hot Latina touch my midget! Grrrr. No touchy. And thank you, ladies and-hobbit? I'll be here all night." With that said, she bowed down dramatically and winked in our direction.

Though I had wanted to laugh, Quinn's grip on me had tightened during Santana's small performance, and I realized the situation was probably more serious than Santana was giving it credit for.

I tried to meet Quinn's eyes, but she looked away. Gently, I placed my fingers underneath her chin and positioned it so that we were looking at one another.

"Was that it, just now? Were you jealous?"

Quinn tried to pulled away, but I kept her firmly in place. Her light green eyes shifted nervously before finally meeting my own. She let out a little puff of irritation.

"I m-mean, yeah, a little bit, I'm sorry—but I'm working on it, a-and-"

I moved my fingers from her chin to her lips, surprise written all over her features.

"It's fine, Quinn. You don't have to apologize. I'm sorry that Santana antagonized you like that, I'll be sure to mention it to Brittany when we get back." I shouted the last part so that Santana, who was now waiting impatiently by Quinn's car, knew what was in store for her. Quinn and I both smiled when a slight whine was heard further in the distance.

I squeezed Quinn's arm lightly before turning away but a soft grip on my hand stopped me. The electric current that I felt the moment her hand touched mine must have been mutual, because Quinn inhaled sharply.

"As much as I hate to admit it, she's right. I tend to get jealous really easily and...more so where you're concerned. It's always been a problem, but I'm working on it—but Rachel, I can't promise that something like this won't happen again." She hung her head, embarrassment covering her features.

There were many things I would like to have said to her, but this moment belonged to Quinn, and I didn't want her to feel overloaded. This was Quinn, the most guarded person that I knew, sharing something about herself that was clearly very personal. I gave her a smile which I hoped would silently convey the message that it was okay; we had much to work through, and much to learn about one another, and it was going to be a bumpy road.

I placed my hand softly on her chest, feeling the remnants of her earlier upset; her heart beat quickly against my palm, showing no signs of slowing down. She hesitated for a moment and then placed her hand over my own in mutual understanding. This was going to take time—whatever _this_ was, and we both recognized it.

The moment between us probably would have been sweet, if not for Santana's incredibly obnoxious yelling.

"We should probably go before she has an aneurism or something."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed Quinn's hand, pulling her towards the car. When we arrived, Santana was standing by the passenger's side door, her arms crossed over her chest and her foot tapping impatiently. Quinn eyed her before staring pointedly at the backseat. Santana scoffed and threw her hands up.

"Really? You're gonna do me like that? I see how you are. It's s'posed to be bros before hos...sorry Berry..."

The rest of what she said went unnoticed, given the fact that she had gone from loud yelling to quiet muttering, kicking the toe of her sneaker into the ground like a petulant child. Assuming that Santana would be taking the front, I moved out of her way towards the back of the car.

"Santana is going to be taking the back. You can sit up here."

Quinn put a hand on Santana's shoulder and pushed her lightly until the door was cleared for me. She opened it and waited for me to get in and shut it softly when I did, ignoring Santana completely.

"What, you can't open the door for your bestie? And you make me sit in the back? It's because I'm a minority, isn't it? Or because your crush is as big as your lady boner for Berry!"

Quinn opened her door and shot Santana an incredulous look. "Would you just get in the car already? My god, that mouth of yours!" 

We got in and buckled up, the radio coming to life with soft music. I glanced in the rear view mirror to see Santana fidgeting in the back seat. It was clear that she was excited, yet nervous (the lip biting gave it away) to see Brittany. This had to be difficult for the both of them; their relationship had been sorely tested, but in the end they were able to pick up the pieces and rebuild that which was once so beautiful.

This had me thinking a bit about Quinn and myself. We had our ups and downs—sadly, the downs outweighed the ups. There were times that I felt like I could never dislike another as I disliked Quinn Fabray, but that feeling dissipated the moment she'd send a small smile or barely noticeable nod my way. It's as if she was the only person who could push me to the brink of my own insanity and then reel me back in, glaring all the while.

She and I had history; we had a past—sordid as it was, it was something that we shared. If we were to move forward and build anything of substance, it would have to be a dual effort, both of us giving one hundred percent of ourselves, albeit a piece at a time. Would this be something that Quinn could handle? If she were willing to make the effort to really let me in, I think that would be enough for me—baby steps, that was going to be the key to our success—or so I hoped.

I had spent so much time in my head that it seemed as though I had missed an entire conversation.

"...make her stop staring at me. It's starting to creep me out. She's all glazed over and whatever, and I think she's drooling. I don't blame her for the last part, I mean, have you seen me? But really, have some class."

I snapped out of my reverie and turned to face her full on.

"Quinn is right! That mouth of yours never stops. And here I thought that I was bad. I was going to be kind and allow you to use my cellphone to text Brittany, because, if I remember correctly, you _smashed_ yours, but I think I'm going to rescind that offer." I let the smugness show entirely, but it didn't last long.

She looked slightly taken aback, but that soon morphed into a grin that could only mean trouble for me.

"Oh, you mean that adorable phone with the even more adorable pass code? Don't think I've forgotten about that, Berry."

I turned and glared, my voice low.

"You wouldn't dare."

Quinn, who had seemed like she was off in her own world during our exchange, suddenly looked interested.

"What is this pass code I keep hearing about?" 

"Er, well, you see, a pass code provides a certain amount of security against unwanted intruders, and -"

"I'm sure Quinn knows what it is, Berry. I think she's asking about yours."

Think, think. What could I say to turn this conversation away from me? I would have to remember to thank her when we got back, because Brittany's name popped up not a second later as an incoming call.

"Ha! Look who it is. Impeccable timing. I can't wait to tell her—hey!" She couldn't even allow me the chance to bask in my victory before snatching the phone from my hand.

"Hey BrittBritt. No, don't worry, Rachel totally let me answer the phone for her. I know, such a considerate little gnome. Yeah Britt, we're coming back now, Q and Rach fixed me up. What's that, baby? You broke up for a second there. Oh. Yeah, I'll tell her, but I'd rather, uh, wait."

The moment Santana's voice dropped, I was suddenly very interested. Quinn perked her head up in curiosity, eyes narrowing a bit.

"We'll be there soon, and we can talk about everything, I promise. Always and forever."

She hung up the phone and tossed it into my lap, and turned to look outside at the passing scenery. Well, that was rude.

"Tell me what, exactly?"

She answered, her eyes still glued to the outside.

"Oh. Brittany said a classmate of yours stopped by to talk, no biggie."

A classmate? The only people I was really associated with were Cameron and ...Hadley. Had it been Hadley who had stopped by, and Santana was keeping it to herself? That seemed like a wise move, given Quinn's earlier upset. If what happened earlier was a result of her best friend simply making a joke, I can only imagine what would happen if Quinn knew that Hadley had come to visit me. A few minutes of silence, and then a text, the sound cutting through the budding tension.

**Brittany S. Pierce_: Hey rach, is q next 2 u? _**

I looked up from my phone but kept it close to my chest, praying that Quinn wouldn't glance over.

"It's Brittany, probably texting to apologize for our having to babysit you." Santana stuck her tongue out, but something was still not quite right about her features. She looked worried, but she was hiding it well. If _I_ could see that something was off, then surely Quinn could as well, and that could be dangerous for all of us. She knew that an angry Quinn was volatile; we both did. I texted back a quick reply.

**Brittany S. Pierce: _hadley stopped in 2 c u, I told her u were asleep. I dnt know how I feel about her cuz of the pic sitch, but I dnt want to assume it was her, u know? I hope not. _**

That's right. Cameron had said that she had seen Hadley rushing away from our door after the envelope with the picture in it had slipped underneath. I, too, was hoping that Cameron was mistaken, and it was simply a case of Hadley being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

**We'll be there soon, Brittany. When Quinn and Santana leave, you and I can talk about it some more. Quinn is right here at the moment, and I can see her getting antsy. **

And she really was. She repositioned her hands on the steering wheel more times than was necessary, and shifted in her seat as though she was uncomfortable. With the sound of each new text message, she appeared to grow more and more anxious.

Brittany S. Pierce: _**how do u know that a pepper is nosy? It gets jalapeno business! **_

I couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped. It was, by far, one of the most unladylike noises that I had ever made, but really, how could I help myself?

**Brittany S. Pierce: _tell that joke 2 q, maybe it'll calm her down, make her stop worrying so much_**

I did as she suggested, but neither Quinn nor Santana had reacted like I did. They smirked, but returned to looking quite grim.

Quinn sighed lightly and spoke up.

"Rachel...who—who was it that-"

"Quinn. Don't. Just count, alright?"

Quinn rolled her eyes but kept her mouth shut.

**Brittany, Santana just told Quinn to count. Does that mean anything to you? I'm unbelievably confused right now. They're both really quiet, and I think Quinn might be talking to herself.**

**Brittany S. Pierce: _lol, yeah I can see how thatd be confusing 4 u. both san and q are super hot heads. Whenever the other is about to lose their cool, they tell eachother 2 start counting b4 they do sumthing dumb. It usually works. Rach, if u wanna calm q down, try holding her hand. _**

That was such a simple request, and one that I had no problem agreeing to, or initiating. I had dreams about being able to hold Quinn's hand; whether it was to soothe her or just to show her that I cared, it was without a doubt something that I had thought about on numerous occasions. Her hands were still clutching the steering wheel tightly, her eyes glued forward. Her lips moved in their silent prayer, and showed no signs of stopping. I idly wondered which number she was on.

Now, to do this. I didn't want to reach up and pry her fingers away from the wheel, causing her to crash, so...no. No. I was putting far too much thought into an action that should be simple, yet meaningful. I glanced over at her, admiring the way the passing lights illuminated her face. I swallowed hard and searched her face. Such a beautiful girl should be allowed to smile more often.

"Quinn." Barely a whisper, a kiss of words, light as a feather, yet it was clear that she and I both felt the weight. I met her eyes and put my hand out, palm up, ready, waiting. She looked my hand and my eyes, and for a brief second I was sure she was going to refuse—but no. A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips, and a moment later my hand was enveloped. The heat from both of our hands combined, and I was suddenly hit with the knowledge that such a simple act could be undeniably beautiful and quite possibly life changing, because my god I felt like I could stay like this _forever. _

My eyes wandered over our entwined hands with rapt curiosity. I squeezed her hand gently to test territory that was foreign, yet felt so familiar- like being away for a long time, and finally coming home. She squeezed mine in return, and I knew that she felt it too.

**GLEE...!**

So yeah, a minor interlude, if you will. A break from the drama, to _prepare_ for the drama. Reviews are great. At this point, since I've been away for so long, I'd really like to know what you think—whether my writing style has changed or not, what you like, what you dislike. Much love!


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I'm not much one for Valentine's Day—I'd rather trade it in for a second Halloween, but I suppose this chapter is my Valentine's gift to you all, albeit slightly early. I hope you guys like it, thanks again for sticking with the story and all of its choppy updates.**

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><p>We had been driving for what felt like hours before the school finally came into view. Quinn slowed the car to a full stop and stared up at the building, her tired eyes widening slightly. She turned from the school and studied me closely, her eyes moving from my own down to our entwined hands. The hands that refused to part throughout the entire drive, the hands that felt oddly like two small, but intricate pieces of a larger puzzle coming together, our hands that seemed almost a crime to part. Few words were spoken during the drive, and for that I was thankful. I enjoyed conversations with Quinn, and I had to admit I truly enjoyed sparring verbally with Santana, but despite what everyone seemed to think, I greatly enjoyed silences. They were the perfect time to think and piece together scattered thoughts, which I seemed to have an overabundance of these days.<p>

Quinn was the first to speak. "I can see those gears turning from here. What's going on in there, Rach?" I let my head fall against the headrest and glanced between our hands and her bright green eyes. What else could I be thinking of aside from us, and all that had transpired?

I smiled up at her and squeezed her hand, my smile growing when she returned the gesture.

"Everything. You, me, Santana and Brittany." My smile faded to a frown; I wanted there to be no lies between us. "And if I'm being completely honest, Hadley, too." Her green eyes darkened, and I could feel her start to pull away, frantically untangling her hand from my own.

"Quinn, don't, please. Don't run away, not from me. Never me." She immediately stopped and met my eyes once more. The storm that had begun to brew had subsided for the moment, and I knew we were making progress.

"It's something we'll need to revisit, you understand that, don't you?" She pursed her lips and swallowed hard, the sound audible over the quiet lull of the radio. "I know. Believe me when I say I know that we need to talk about this, but can it please not be now? This night, it's been weird for sure, but the end part, it's been perfect. I'd like to keep it that way." I nodded and rubbed my thumb gently over her wrist. "Another time, then. Are you ready to go inside, or shall we wait a moment?" Quinn turned slightly and stole a glance at the back seat. "Santana is completely passed out. This night was rough on her, but I have to admit that I'm really liking the silence that comes when her mouth is no longer moving." I had to place a hand over my mouth to stifle the giggle that threatened to bubble through. She was right. Santana's mouth could run a mile a minute, and usually that was something that I feared; her words could sting, I knew that firsthand. But when her rants weren't hurling insults, I found that it was something that I greatly enjoyed listening to.

As a heavy but not uncomfortable silence fell over the car I realized that Quinn was staring hard at me. I could feel the heat rush to my cheeks with the intensity of her gaze; she never quite looked at me like this before, but the impact was immediate. My cheeks flushed, my mouth ran dry. She was looking at me with so much want that I had been rendered mute.

"Rachel..."

I cleared my throat roughly, but it didn't help; my words still sounded as though they hadn't been used in years.

"Yes, Quinn..."

With each passing second we moved unknowingly closer to one another until we were mere millimeters apart. My eyelids fluttered closed and I waited for the impact that I had dreamed about for what felt like my whole life.

Instead of soft contact on lips, I felt Quinn shift slightly and a pair of lips met the corner of my mouth, almost touching my own, but not quite. It was soft, incredibly soft, and I heard myself let out a small whimper. The kiss lasted longer than was considered appropriate for two people who were considered just friends, and a shiver ran through my body at the thought. Quinn must have felt this because not a moment later I felt her smile into the kiss. I returned the smile and then pulled away, realizing how silly we probably looked. Quinn continued to smile, her eyes darting down to my lips.

"When it does happen, it'll be because I've earned your trust." She must have seen me about to protest because she put a hand in the air to halt my speech. "Don't, Rach. When it happens, it will be perfect, because we waited. I'm going to earn your trust. It's the proper thing to do, something you deserve."

I silently congratulated myself on being right about Quinn and her mannerisms regarding what's proper, but also cursed it as well. I had wanted that kiss more than I had imagined; the sample of what was to come had me flustered, and she knew it.

I huffed and feigned irritation, crossing my arms over my chest and turning away from her.

"It's quite alright, Quinn."

She gently shoved me until I turned back to her, my frown disappearing all together.

"We should probably wake her up now, huh?"

Right. Santana was still here. I turned to the backseat, surprised to see Santana smirking back at me. She winked and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. That smirk answered my question; yes, she had been awake during our exchange, and yes, she had seen and heard everything. I opened my mouth to berate her, but closed it a second later. She let us have our moment together, uninterrupted.

"Santana, it's time to wake up."

She shifted in her seat but kept her eyes closed. I smirked and turned to Quinn.

"I guess we'll have to go see Brittany with just the two of us. It's clear that Santana needs her beauty sleep."

A light growl was heard.

"Watch yourself, Berry. You might find yourself at the top of a very large flagpole in the morning." I didn't doubt that for a second.

"So how do I look?"

Quinn responded before I had a chance to speak.

"She already knows what happened, and the extent of your stupidity. There's no point in trying to sugarcoat it. You know how Brittany is."

Santana scoffed and stepped out of the car.

"You're such a dick, Fabray. Don't ever change."

Quinn followed suit, once again opening the passenger side door for me. I hopped out, a wave of relief washing over me; I was happy to be home.

I didn't want to chance Santana or Quinn being caught roaming the hallways this late, so we took their preferred route into the building: through the window. It was close enough to the ground that they could climb up and jump down without any injuries, but if I tried it, I was sure to sprain an ankle. Climbing up was just as tough a feat as getting down.

Quinn moved forward first and opened the window, and Santana climbed up and slipped in quietly. Quinn glanced at me and realized my plight.

"Aww. That's cute. Don't worry, I'll help you up."

I stomped a foot and glared. "I'm not entirely sure that I want to accept help from you, Quinn Fabray."

Quinn took a step back and gasped, a hand covering her mouth in faux shock.

"Oh no. Full name used! Serious mode engaged." I tried to keep my expression serious, but it melted away as soon as I saw her ridiculously exaggerated expression.

"Even though it wasn't verbally stated, I accept your apology. You have permission to help me up now."

She smirked in that sideways manner that made my knees weak and moved towards me again.

"Okay, I'm going to cup my hands; just put your foot in my palm and your hands on my shoulders if you feel like you're going to fall, and I'm going to hoist you up."

She cupped her hands and I was going to step into them, but a rough whisper from above caught our attention.

"Try not to look up Berry's skirt, Q-ball. Resist the urge to perv!" She was gone a second later, leaving my cheeks on fire and Quinn a sputtering mess.

"I wouldn't—I won't—I mean I'm not—please just step into my hands so I can continue being mortified inside the building." I let out a sound of agreement that was no discernible language and stepped into her hands. A moment later I was slipping through the window, falling unceremoniously onto the floor in a giant heap.

"Real graceful, Berry." Santana put her hand out to help me but I refused.

"No harm done, I've simply bruised my pride." Santana chuckled and glanced around the room searchingly.

"Well that's fine. It's not like you're running short on pride. Where the eff is Brittany?"

I glanced around our room looking for the blonde, and then back at the window to see Quinn coming through. Needless to say, her landing was much more graceful than mine. She made it a point to avoid looking directly at me, her cheeks still tinged a light pink.

"You okay, Fabray? Took your time coming up here."

Quinn's high pitched exclamation of "I'm fine!" caused me to believe quite the opposite. She cleared her throat loudly.

"I'm fine. Where's Brittany?"

I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Brittany, inquiring of her whereabouts. Her response was immediate.

**W/hadley, she wanted 2 tlk. I will explain l8ter, is San back?**

I replied that the three of us were currently waiting for her.

**Brt rach!**

I couldn't help but wonder what it was Hadley wanted to talk about, but I was absolutely not going to bring it up—unless I had to.

"Yo, midge. Where is she?"

Luck was clearly not on my side.

"She's...with Hadley. Hadley wanted to talk. Brittany should be back momentarily."

Santana scoffed and threw herself onto Brittany's bed.

"That bitch. If she's the one that fucked with me, then shit is going down."

I hazarded a quick glance towards Quinn. I knew that just hearing Hadley's name mentioned was enough to set her off in a fit of hysterics. I wanted very much to defend Hadley, because in my heart I hoped she hadn't been the one to start all of this, but I couldn't. If I were to utter a single word in her defense, Quinn would take it as a personal blow, and I knew what would happen.

She'd run.

It was in her nature to either run or fight when threatened, and I doubted we would come to blows. So I kept silent, my eyes watching for her reaction. She stood by the window, her arms crossed over her chest. Her face was still flushed, but this time I knew it wasn't from embarrassment; it was anger. Her chest rose and fell deeply as she tried to get her breathing under control.

Her soft voice broke through silence, not conveying anger, but something else entirely.

"I'm going to leave now. It's probably for the best that I go wait in the car, and leave you two to your—whatever, moment alone."

I felt as though I had been punched in the stomach. After everything, it seemed she still doubted me, doubted us.

"Quinn, that isn't what I want, you know that."

Santana stood up and walked towards her best friend.

"Q. Stay. Just get her out of your mind and stay. Berry wants you here. I want you here. When I see Brittany, I don't know what's going to happen." In a rare show of genuine affection, she met Quinn's gaze full on. "I need my best friend."

Quinn considered her options. I was still convinced that she was going to leave, but finally she sighed and sat down on my bed, her eyes narrowed.

"Fine. I'll stay if you really want me here."

I moved forward and sat down next to her, placing my own hand on hers. I wanted her to feel comfortable, and to understand that I was at ease in her presence, enough to initiate some form of contact. If I was being honest, a part of me craved some kind of connection with her, ever since our moment in the car. She glanced down at me and smiled slightly, her eyes losing their hard edge.

"Of course I want you here. You should know by now that I—"

The sound of a door opening stopped me midsentence. As soon as Brittany closed the door softly behind her, she ran forward at full speed and wrapped her arms tightly around Santana. The brunette looked momentarily stunned, but it wore off quickly as she returned the embrace. The tears fell easily and neither girl seemed to notice as they held onto each other for dear life. Their words were muffled but I could hear Brittany's repeated cry of her lover's name, and Santana's whispered prayer of apologies.

I looked up at Quinn, who was watching the scene pointedly. She must have felt my eyes on her, because she glanced down at me and studied my eyes. I smiled up at her, trying to convey my thanks, and she squeezed my hand in return.

When they finally parted, Brittany took Santana's face in her hands and met the eyes before her. My heart broke as I watched the sadness in Brittany's eyes grow as she studied Santana's injuries. Santana had the decency to look ashamed, her gaze falling towards the floor. Brittany placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head so that they were looking at one another again. Santana sniffed and wiped her eyes, and that was when Brittany took Santana's hand between her own and kissed the back of it.

"Santana, I'm so sorry that this happened. Please, you have to believe me when I say I'd never hurt you like that."

Santana let out a chuckle that sounded more like a sob, and nodded.

"I know, Britt. I just—I figured that if you found a way out, then-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence! If you really do love me, you'll never say anything like that ever again. How could you even think that I'd throw something like this away?"

Santana glanced towards Quinn and myself, trepidation in her eyes. I nodded towards her; she was amongst friends, there was no need to hold back.

"Brittany, I want to be with you, every second of every day. I hate that we have to sneak around because someone might tell your dad about my being here. It's just—you deserve so much more than I can give you. I figured if you found someone who could physically be here for you, just when you're having a sad day, or just want someone to hold you close, I wasn't going to stand in the way."

A fresh set of tears began to fall down Brittany's face, and Santana raised a hand to wipe them away.

"For someone so smart, you can sure be a dummy. There is no one else in this world I want more than you. You are my other piece. Without you, there is no me. That's all there is to it."

They came together once more, and I could feel the storm clouds parting. I could also feel Quinn's thumb rubbing my wrist softly, further confirming that maybe things were going to be okay.

"Q, I hate to bring this up, but I need to know. Who caused all of this, Britt? What did Wilde have to say?" Brittany sent an apologetic look towards Quinn and began speaking.

"It wasn't Hadley. You guys wouldn't know this, but at this school there's a club that's sort of devoted to making up stupid stories for their magazine that no one reads. When Cameron saw Hadley rush away, I guess Hadley was trying to warn us that fake pictures were going around, and that we should watch out."

Santana's gaze hardened when she realized she had a new target in her sights, someone she could easily blame for this mess.

"Did she give you a name, Britt?"

"Her name is Julia Ben Israel, but why do you—"

Her words tapered off as she noticed Santana's eyes darken.

"No, San. You aren't going to do anything. There's been enough anger and violence. Promise me you won't try to hurt her."

Santana looked like she was going to protest, but gave in quickly when she looked into Brittany's stern glare.

"Fine. I won't. I promise." She didn't sound happy about it, but I knew she wouldn't go back on her word.

I watched as Santana shook her head in disbelief, and finally look towards Quinn and myself.

"You guys need to get a room, really. Berry, check the drool. Q? Could you _be_ any more possessive? The dwarf isn't going anywhere."

I huffed and wiped at my mouth, finding nothing there as I expected. Quinn retracted her arm that had slowly made its way around my waist, and looked the other direction.

"San, quit it. They're so cute. Look, Quinnie is all red again!"

Quinn gasped and placed a hand to her chest. "Brittany, you traitor. You've been around Santana for too long, you're starting to act just like her."

Santana looked proud as she placed an arm over the blonde's shoulders. "I trained my woman well, what can I say." Santana let out a loud grunt as Brittany elbowed her in the side, by shook it off easily as it was all in jest.

"Seriously, Quinn. When are you going to ask the hobbit out? It's been like…what…years, or some shit?"

I could tell that Quinn was getting irritated, so I placed a hand on her lower back and rubbed soft circles to calm her down.

"Santana, whatever transpires is between Quinn and myself, and you need not worry yourself over matters that don't concern you."

Santana raised an eyebrow but continued to smile. That was good. I felt like that could have ended poorly for me if I had crossed a line I didn't know existed.

"Oh wow, meow, Berry. See, at first I thought that Quinn would be the top, but after that little show of claws and teeth, maybe it's you who tops Fabgay. Hmm. Oddly enough, I don't want to vomit at the thought. Oh. Wait. There it is."

Brittany placed a hand over Santana's mouth before it could get any worse, sending an apologetic look our way.

"Okay. How about we all go out together, as friends? Maybe Breadstix?"

Santana shook off Brittany's hand and shook her head.

"No, Britt, we have to be careful. Someone could see us and tell your dad, or better yet, we could run into him, it's too big of a risk and—"

"Santana, we can't hide forever just because my dad doesn't like the idea of us together. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of hiding away. If I want to go out with my girlfriend, then I'm going to do it."

Santana frowned, her brow creasing in worry.

"But Britt, if he catches us, he'll send you away again."

Brittany smiled and pulled Santana close.

"Yeah, but you know what? You'll always find me. It's sorta our thing."

Quinn surprised me by standing up suddenly.

"Let's do it. Let's go out together, have a good time." She turned to me. "It's not a date, not yet, because it isn't the right time. I want us to spend time together, outside of these walls. What do you say?"

What did I say to spending time with the young woman who held my heart so easily, and the two young women who I now considered my best friends?

"I'll have to check my schedule, see if I can fit you in, as a future star you must know that I'm constantly on the move and furthermore—"

Before I could finish my speech I was suddenly knocked back onto the bed, a slight weight bearing down on me. I looked up into forest green eyes, full of mirth.

"What was that, Rachel? I couldn't quite hear you."

"I, um, well you see, I, uh, where was I? Oh yes, I'd love to go. Love to."

As Quinn removed herself from atop me, I heard a whisper in the corner.

"I knew Fabgay was the top!"

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><p>…GLEE!<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Notes: Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing well, enjoying the summer and whatnot. Here is the (very belated) next chapter of Dalton, and I hope you all enjoy it. When you arrive at the song part (towards the end), I highly suggest listening to the song that Rachel sings so that maybe you can feel what everyone else is supposed to feel when she's singing. I'd love it if you'd review, it'd be super rad. To all of you still reading this, you're goshdarn amazing, and I am one lucky author; to those of you just starting, welcome aboard, feel free to leave any criticism, concerns—anything you want. As always, much love, all. ONWARD!**

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><p>When I woke up the next morning, it was long before my alarm was to sound; I turned it off and hopped out of a bed, an automatic spring in my step. This was going to be a fantastic day, I just knew it. Today, classes would continue as they normally would, but after all was said and done, I would not simply return to the dorm the study and then sleep. No, tonight I was going out with Santana, Brittany…and Quinn. Just the thought of sitting next to Quinn in the tight booths at Breadstix was enough to give my heart a little jump. I had no idea what it was going to be like to experience Quinn in a social setting where she wasn't trying to hurt me in some way. No, we were going out as friends. Friends who probably, definitely, really wanted to be more than friends, but friends nonetheless. Quinn meant the world me, she always had, really, but for now, her friendship was important above all else. It was also somewhat surprising to realize just how much I wanted to spend time with Santana, outside of the school. As of yet, I hadn't had the opportunity to spend time with her when she wasn't sneaking into our room, and I was looking forward to doing so. She really was one of the most layered individuals I had ever met. After the entire ordeal involving Cameron and Brittany, I realized just how badly I wanted to know this somewhat broken girl; she was such an intense force to be reckoned with, in a body that would most definitely suggest otherwise.<p>

And then there was Brittany, my sweet roommate. I knew how happy it made her to see Santana nearly every day, but this was an opportunity for them to function as a normal couple would, albeit with the slight threat of Brittany's parents looming over them. I didn't really know many adults who frequented the restaurant, as it seemed to be more of a destination for high school and college students to take up residence, but Santana had seemed to think that the threat of her parents showing up was indeed quite real. It was awful to think about, really. The idea of my dad and daddy reacting so violently to the person I was in love with caused shivers to run down my spine. I couldn't imagine them being anything other than entirely supportive, though I'm sure they would have a few choice words regarding Quinn and her intentions.

Quinn.

And intentions.

Quinn had intentions towards me. The thought was too much to keep inside, and I suddenly found myself letting out a loud squeal that seemed to penetrate the darkness of our room. I immediately clamped a hand over my mouth, forgetting that Brittany preferred to sleep in as late as humanly possible. I peeked over at her, sighing in relief when she had yet to stir. The sound of her groggy voice had me startled once more.

"Yeah, Rach, Quinnie is great, now go back to sleep."

I harrumphed and dropped back into bed. The frown on my face soon morphed back into a giant, toothy smile as soon as Quinn reemerged into my thoughts (though I'm sure she had never truly left).

"I can hear your smile from here. I guess you're excited for tonight, huh?"

A light shuffling of covers was heard, and finally a blonde, messy bun popped from beneath. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, and sat back on her elbows to meet my eyes in a sleepy gaze.

"I'm excited, too. All of us are finally going to do something together."

"Brittany, aren't you worried about your father?"

Her faced screwed up in concentration briefly, but then softened into a smile.

"Yes and no. I'm not worried that he'll catch us, but I'm sad that Santana is. It's easy for us, you know, to sneak her in and spend time together. But it's not how it should be. Not at all. I want us to go out and do things that other couples do, without looking over our shoulders all the time. But that doesn't matter; I would meet Santana behind a dirty, stinky outhouse if that was the only way we could see each other."

The image of Santana meeting Brittany behind an outhouse caused a fit of laughter to erupt from my mouth; it was almost something that I would pay to see, because I knew that no matter the place, Santana would always meet Brittany there.

"I understand, Brittany. You two are so close, and clearly meant to be together in a way that other people rarely get to experience. I wish it were easier for you both, I really do."

She considered that for a moment, shrugging lightly.

"It will be. I've been sending letters to my mom, and she told me that she's working on helping my dad to understand that this isn't something that Santana forced me into. Things will be okay, it just takes time."

She got up and stretched, then plopped down next to me.

"So. Hanging with Quinnie. I bet you're totally psyched."

Of course I was, but I wanted to play it cool, Rachel Berry style. If playing cool was even a thing I was capable of executing.

"It's no big deal, really. It's just going to be dinner with some friends, that's all."

Brittany snorted, and I felt my resolve waver.

"Okay, yes, fine, I'm excited. Of course I am. It's _Quinn Fabray_, and I'm going to be spending time with her. Not looking for Santana, or attacking each other verbally as if we were back at McKinley; real time together."

She considered that for a moment. "It's so funny to hear you talk about Quinn like this. She's so important to you, I can hear it in how you talk about her, and she's really important to me, too. But she isn't perfect. You know that, and I know you know that, but don't think for a second that you aren't good enough for her. Quinn is just a person, like you and me."

She was right. I did have a habit of putting Quinn on a pedestal. It was difficult to avoid, given the status she held within high school means. A beautiful blonde cheerleader, who held the attention of everyone that she passed. Not only known for her beauty, but her intellect and fierce wit, too. She was as close to perfect as I had ever seen, so naturally, a pedestal was born.

I cleared my throat, a little embarrassed at how accurate she had been.

"I know that Quinn has some…baggage, if you will. It's just difficult to process everything that's been happening, because she's always meant so much to me. Even when I thought I hated her, I didn't; I never could."

She wrapped an arm lazily around my middle, and pulled me close.

"We have to get ready for class now. Stop worrying about Quinn; we're going to have an awesome time, and you two are gonna get to know each other better."

She got up slowly, stretched in a fashion that was more akin to lioness than human, and walked into the bathroom. I knew at that precise moment how lucky I was to have a friend like Brittany. I had never had another person who would listen to me without interrupting me and telling me to be quiet. She listened without complaint, and even gave her opinion on the matter at hand. Regardless of how things panned out with Quinn (though I hoped for the best), I knew I had made a friend with whom I would hold dear for many years to come.

After the shower turned off and Brittany emerged looking refreshed in her Oreo's uniform, I jumped in to get ready for the day. I rather liked the uniform that the students wore every day; it completely removed the guesswork in choosing what to wear, and as I had mentioned before, everyone looked the same. When I came out of the bathroom, Brittany, as per usual, was waiting for me. Today, the first class that I had was glee, which was taken seriously enough by this school to be considered an actual class, and not just a club. From what I understood, both Cameron and Hadley shared this class with Brittany and myself, a fact that left me feeling somewhat on edge.

As far as I was concerned, Cameron was no longer of interest to me. Unless she went back on her word and specifically did something to hurt either Santana or Brittany, she and I were on indifferent terms. Hadley was another story. The last time we had spoken, she had sworn that she was going to fight for me, no matter what. She proved that she still cared by trying to warn us about the doctored photograph of Brittany and Cameron. I knew that she disliked Santana almost of the same level that she disliked Quinn, but she cared for Brittany, and tried to help. Now, we were going to be face to face once more, only this time I knew deep within my heart that Quinn was who I wanted. Hadley wasn't going to accept that easily, and Quinn would probably be having an aneurism right now if she knew that Hadley and I were going to be in the same room at all. It was of little surprise to myself that I had gotten involved with two incredibly stubborn and jealous people; it was true diva fashion to do so, even though I had done it unintentionally.

But, in true Rachel Berry fashion, I was going to face this problem head on. I wouldn't shy away from Hadley simply because of what had transpired between us; no, I was going to plow forward, and hopefully we could solve things in a mature manner, and come to an agreement that would suit the both of us.

It was all going to be so tough; I knew a part of me wanted to be her friend, despite all of the drama that had occurred with Quinn. She was smart, funny, and talented; my biggest issue now was thinking of the repercussions. Quinn was Quinn. She was jealous, as had been plainly demonstrated when Santana had decided to test out, and she hated Hadley with a passion.

My mind flew back to the time when Quinn insisted on my taking off Hadley's jacket, because she was jealous. Sighing, I knew there was no easy way to do this. One step at a time seemed to work, so that's what I would do.

As if I needed another reminder of what was to come, Brittany spoke up, interrupting my thoughts. "Are you ready, Rach? Hadley's going to be there, and I know that's going to be a little weird."

Weird? Yes. A little? Try a whole ton.

"It'll be fine, Brittany. Glee has always been somewhat of a stress reliever for me. It enables me to sing away my problems, so to speak; today will be no different." The smile that followed made me realize that she didn't quite believe all that I had said, but was willing to let it go for now. We headed out with backpacks in hand, ready to officially start the school day. As we passed other students in the hallway, I had a sneaking suspicion that they were paying more attention to me than usual. There seemed to be nothing negative in their looks, just simple curiosity that I had to assume stemmed from my association with Hadley, or that fact that I was still relatively new. Normally I would have stopped and demanded that they cease in their blatant staring, but glee club was calling loudly, and I knew I had to answer.

We stepped through the double doors and were immediately greeted by the glee club teacher, Miss Summers. A petite redhead with a smile that seemed impossibly large, she welcomed us in with open arms.

"Brittany, Rachel, so good of you girls to join me today! Take a seat with the others and we can begin!"

I glanced up to where the other girls were seated, and was instantly met with Hadley's blue gaze full on. Even if I hadn't looked directly at her, I still would have felt her distinct presence in the room. I had almost forgotten how beautiful she was, and a mere glance reminded me. Her expression seemed neutral, but her eyes gave away the fact that she appeared almost as nervous as I was. Eying the empty seat beside her, I came to the conclusion that this was a do or die moment; I could sit somewhere else and inadvertently alienate her permanently, or I could take this blatant offer of peace, and run the risk of hurting Quinn if she ever found out. But that was the real conundrum, wasn't it? Quinn and I weren't a couple; she had no control over my actions, and really, I didn't owe her a thing. And yet it felt like I did, and that I was somehow being unfaithful to a partner that I didn't actually have. If only Santana were around to throw in a few choice words to express how I felt at this moment.

One thing was clear; I needed to make this decision now, because nearly everyone was sitting and the last thing I needed was more attention directed my way. Before I could register what was happening, my feet started to move on autopilot, and soon enough I was sitting next to Hadley, my hands clasped firmly on my lap.

I fully intended on speaking first. I wanted to take control of the situation and speak my piece, and hopefully navigate the direction that this conversation would take. That's what I wanted to do, but that isn't what happened.

I felt her eyes settle on me, causing me to shiver involuntarily. Her eyes were a two ton weight, and I was trapped beneath the sheer force.

"Hello, Rachel. How have you been?"

And there she was, seemingly a millimeter away from my ear, her breath warm against the side of my face. I turned around quickly, expecting to come face to face with blue eyes, but she was sitting back in her chair, an eyebrow raised.

"Hadley. It's nice to see you. I've been well, and yourself?"

There. Conversation. I could do this.

"Not too bad. I've been missing you like crazy, though."

And that I did not expect. I'm sure she realized this as soon as I began to sputter like an engine that refused to turn over. She let out a nervous laugh and continued.

"Your friendship, Rachel. Spending time with you, talking with you, all of it. I know I jumped the gun; I moved too quickly, and I pushed you away. For that, I apologize."

"It's true we moved too quickly, but it isn't all your fault, you know. I was excited to be in a new place, and you were so sweet. I'm sorry that perhaps I seemed too eager."

She brushed it off easily. "You were you, Rachel. Never change. There is one other thing; the elephant in the room, to coin a term."

I was wondering when this was going to come up. Perhaps it was better to get it over with quickly, much like ripping off a band aid.

"I will never understand why you want to be friends with Lucy, but I've come to terms with the fact that it really isn't my decision to make, nor any of my business. Just warn me if she's around. If I run into her, it won't be good. I know it."

That definitely wasn't what I expected. I knew the subject of Quinn was bound to arise, but I figured it was going to be another slew of cheerleader bravado, not a form of acceptance. At that moment, I could have told her about Quinn, and my subsequent feelings for her. Hadley didn't seem like she was going to be giving up anytime soon so I should have at least said something—but I didn't. Leaving it like this seemed safer. There was potential for a volcanic eruption were I to mention Quinn too often, especially in a positive light, so I didn't. Instead, I settled for simplicity.

"Thank you, Hadley. That's very…well, it's very mature of you. We can work on our friendship, but perhaps we should focus now; I believe glee is finally starting!"

She laughed loudly at my excitement, and I laughed right along with her. It felt as though we had reached a resolution, and that things were maybe on the right track after being so horribly derailed.

"Alright ladies! It's so great to see so many smiling faces this early in the morning; it looks as though I may be doing something right!" This was followed by loud cheering and whistling, signaling that Miss Summers really did know what she was doing.

"Let's give a big welcome and hello to one of our newest students, Rachel Berry—Rachel, is there anything you'd like to say while I've already thrown you into the spotlight?"

This was something I could handle. I was born to be a star; the limelight was my best friend.

"Hello everyone, I'm so very excited to be a part of this wonderful school, and even more so a part of your glee club. I look forward to performing with all of you."

This was followed by loud cheers, namely from Brittany and Hadley, and claps from the other surrounding girls.

"Thank you, Rachel, I for one certainly look forward to hearing that voice of yours. Okay, ladies—you know the drill. We take a piece of paper from the hat with topics that you've all suggested, and then someone will start us off. Brittany, how about you choose today?"

Miss Summers thrust the black hat out to Brittany, who skipped happily down to meet her. She grabbed a piece of crumpled up paper and placed it in her hand, then skipped back to her seat.

"Alright, drumroll please—and the topic to sing about today is…love! Hmm. That's always a good one. Love for your family, love for your friends, love for a boyfriend or girlfriend; we're surrounded by love every day, and each day that we have the opportunity to experience love is beautiful."

She certainly knew how to get the crowd's attention. Mr. Schuster often spoke with passion, but this felt like something else entirely.

"…what do you say, Rachel?"

Wait. That was my name.

"Would you like to volunteer to sing for us today?"

No other words seemed sweeter at the moment. If I had ever been asked that at McKinley, I would have been a slightly happier person. But this topic was tricky. Should I sing about my fathers? That seemed a bit strange. I could sing about Brittany, but I still had an irrational fear that Santana was lurking in the corners, ready to pounce. Who could I sing about that—oh. Well. That was always an option. I could sing about the person, who as of late, remained a part of my every waking thought.

"Of course. I'd be honored."

I nodded briefly at Hadley, who gave a mock salute, and smiled in Brittany's direction. I had a feeling that she knew what I had planned, if that sparkle in her eyes gave any indication.

"Before you begin, I just want to point out that you don't have to explain anything to us; we don't need to know the context of the song, or why you chose it. These are your feelings; just feel them, and make us feel them through your words."

I nodded and walked up to the band that was on standby, hoping that they'd be able to fulfill my request. The man on the piano, whose name I found out was Thad, gave me a thumbs up in approval.

"Okay. Once again, thank you for this opportunity. The song I shall be performing today is called 'I Knew I Loved You,' by Savage Garden."

Now, to get into the moment, and make them feel what I felt whenever I thought of Quinn. I pictured her standing before me, a picturesque beauty with unfathomable grace, and then I began to sing.

"Maybe it's intuition

But some things you just don't question

Like in your eyes

I see my future in an instant

and there it goes

I think I've found my best friend

I know that it might sound more than

a little crazy but I believe…"

Her eyes; her beautiful green eyes revealed to me everything that her words could not, and given our past, one could certainly label this entire roller coaster ride as 'crazy.'

"I knew I loved you before I met you

I think I dreamed you into life

I knew I loved you before I met you

I have been waiting all my life…"

As the days went on, I found myself getting closer and closer to Quinn, the real person within her starting to shine more prominently. We were at war constantly in the past, but there was always something. Had it been love? I couldn't say for certain, but now I had a firm grasp on what was happening between us.

"There's just no rhyme or reason

only this sense of completion

and in your eyes

I see the missing pieces

I'm searching for

I think I found my way home

I know that it might sound more than

a little crazy but I believe…"

Should we have come together in the way that we did? Probably not. By any other standards, the answer would most certainly be no. But somehow, we met in the middle, and were steadily working towards something more.

"I knew I loved you before I met you

I think I dreamed you into life

I knew I loved you before I met you

I have been waiting all my life

A thousand angels dance around you

I am complete now that I found you"

As I finished singing, I noticed that there wasn't a dry eye in the room. I have to admit that I felt a bit of that diva pride whenever someone was moved completely by my singing; it was hard not to, really.

I curtsied to their overwhelming applause, and headed back to my seat, my smile large and my eyes shining. I hazarded a glance at Hadley, who had an unreadable expression in her eyes. This certainly wasn't the time to deliberate over what she was thinking, although I had a fair idea in mind.

"Rachel, that was beautiful. On behalf of the Dalton glee club, welcome. You'll certainly be a worthy adversary when we face off against McKinley's New Directions next week."

"Well, I'm so very happy that you think-_what_?"

…GLEE!


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Yes, it's been a while, I apologize for that—but I've made real progress in regards to this story. I have so much planned for these characters that the next 10 or so chapters are all set. It's going to be a rollercoaster ride, and I really hope you guys stick it out with me!**

**Now, I have a question for you all, because I'm honestly curious: is this a story that you find yourself reading numerous times? Even when I've not updated in months, there are still quite a few hits to the story, and that leaves me wondering. Does this story make you happy enough/entertain you enough so that you return again and again? Some stories do that for me. I've read them enough to know exactly what's going to happen, and yet when I read them, I'm filled with the same feeling I had the first time around. Random musing, I apologize. **

**And as a side note, holy crap I didn't realize I had so many readers in Australia. It almost rivals the hits from the beautiful people in the UK!**

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><p>No, absolutely not, <em>no<em>, this wasn't happening. I wasn't ready to see everyone just yet, much less perform against them. I was enjoying my time away from the school that had done nothing but tear me down and I wasn't ready to give that up just yet. This school was my sanctum, the one thing that couldn't be taken from me, and having to see all of those people felt almost like an invasion. A million questions flew at me from every direction, my breath catching with every possible scenario. Where would we be performing? Would they come here, or would I be forced to walk those tainted hallways once more? I'd probably see some of the people that made my stay at McKinley so torturous. I'd have to look into their hateful eyes and read instantly their disdain and loathing. I'd have to see my 'friends' from New Directions, the individuals who never actually cared an ounce about me. Quinn would be there, yes, and Santana. Brittany would be with me as well. I could almost come to terms with it just knowing that I'd be able to see Quinn face to face, and listen to her sing with that beautiful voice of hers.

But no. I wasn't ready.

This wasn't going to happen, because _I_ _wasn't going to let it_. I'd have to make up some excuse; it would reflect poorly on me, and it was the last thing I wanted to do to Miss Summers, but what choice did I have? I could feign sick, or—or—

"I really need to find a better way to organize these dates. My apologies, everyone. We won't see New Directions for another month."

And with those words, all of my anxiety left my body with one long exhale. A month would be acceptable. It would give me more time to process everything, and come to terms with the fact that this was bound to happen; I was going to see everyone whether I wanted to or not.

I could ask Quinn for her opinion, and even Santana. They could help me work through this, and maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be so difficult. I'm a strong person of mind and body. Though my emotions have a tendency to err on the side of erratic, I'm usually in full control-but I'm still only human, and I needed time to recover from the onslaught that had lasted years.

I wasn't the only person to have negative feelings about this matchup. I could hear Hadley's breathing suddenly hitch, her fuming nearly audible. She was going to have to face Quinn in the flesh, engaging in that which dictated their past: competition. It was a sore spot, an open wound that would not heal, and news of our competing against New Directions was simply the salt thrown in to make it worse. Maybe I could talk to Quinn and convince her so sit this one out. It would be beneficial to all of us involved…only Quinn would take it personally. She would see it as my blatantly taking Hadley's side over her own. Santana would probably see it much in the same way; as a betrayal of her best friend. I could try to convince Hadley of the same, but once again, it wouldn't work in my favor. She would view it as me trying to protect Quinn.

Why were girls so difficult?

Another thought struck me, making me wish I had chosen instead to sing about my fathers. Hadley had to have known it was Quinn I was singing about, there was no doubt in my mind. So not only was she upset about having to see Quinn in a month, she was now possibly seething over the fact that I chose a song to represent my feelings about said girl.

I'll admit, sometimes I really don't think things through. Perhaps I should have been more considerate of her feelings, but in that precise moment, I needed to express myself. But then again, there was also the possibility that I was wrong and she actually had no clue to whom this song was about. Possibly. Maybe. Not a chance.

A few more people volunteered to sing, but I barely heard them. I was lost in my own mind, meandering through the tangled web that had been woven. I was worried about seeing New Directions, worried about having hurt Hadley's feelings, and worried about setting Quinn into a bout of jealousy.

Quinn.

A warm feeling coursed through my body when Quinn came to mind. I could feel the corner of my eyes crinkle with mirth and my lips tip upwards into a small smile. I really needed to get ahold of my feelings or people were bound to think I was insane, but in this instance if they could feel what I was feeling, then surely they'd understand.

She was Quinn Fabray. To other people that name meant nothing, but to me, it meant everything and more.

Near impenetrable outer layer, but beautiful when she let you in. A sharp tongue that could leave a person in tears, but a voice that soothed like no other. She was an anomaly of a girl, an untouchable entity that seemed just out of reach.

When the bell rang to signify the end of class, Hadley grabbed her things and gave me a curt nod, a just barely there smile on her face.

"That was a great performance, Rachel. I'll see you around."

She brushed past me and past a confused looking Brittany, who was currently making her way towards my seat. That was unexpected.

"What was that about?"

Huffing, I gave a half shrug and grabbed my bag.

"Considering she's going to be face to face with Quinn in a mere month, I imagine she's quite on edge. And I'm pretty sure I made it worse."

"Yeah, so about that song."

Her voice was teasing, and I knew where this was headed immediately, and I also knew that there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"You already told Santana, didn't you? Brittany, you traitor!"

The tall blonde giggled and bumped shoulders with me, her facial expression instantly answering my question.

"I had to! That was so sweet that I just couldn't resist. She probably won't tell Quinn. I think."

My phone buzzed in my pocket before I had a chance to retort that yes, absolutely Santana would tell Quinn, and I probably wouldn't be able to face either one of them for quite some time. I shot Brittany another look, hoping to convey my feelings of betrayal, and opened my phone.

'_hobbit and fabgay, sittin in a tree, f-u-c-k-i-'_

Nope. Not happening. I shut my phone off and threw it in my bag, hoping to be rid of Santana and her evil jibes. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of reading the whole message, though I'm pretty sure I knew where it was headed. When Brittany's phone chimed loudly, I closed my eyes and groaned.

"Rach, San told me to tell you 'hobbit and fabgay—"

"I know what she said! Let's just leave it alone, shall we? Let's move on, as we do have other classes to attend."

Brittany smiled good-naturedly, but something in her eyes shifted to broach a topic of more serious concern

"If Quinn had been here, she would have loved it. I know she would."

That caught my attention immediately, and I was once again assaulted by all that was Quinn Fabray. It was so easy for me to fall into a train of thought where only she existed, and that thought was a bit frightening, but also somewhat exhilarating. She held my focus like nothing else, and I wondered idly if I did the same for her.

She was a riddle just waiting to be solved, and with each passing day, I was becoming more aware of just how badly I wanted to be the person to solve her. Tonight was going to be a monumental occasion. She and I were going to be spending time together, out in the open, where anyone could see us.

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't slightly nervous as to how things would pan out. Yes, nervous to be with Quinn, but that was a given. Her mere presence was enough to set my heart pounding into a frenzied symphony that only she was capable of conducting. But I was also nervous for another reason, which was perfectly justifiable, given our history. It was wrong of me to bring up the past; we were trying to turn over a new leaf, and Quinn would never have the opportunity to prove herself if I never gave her the chance. But something was bothering me, like an ever present thorn in my side.

If by chance we were out and about and someone from McKinley were to show up and question why Quinn Fabray, head cheerleader, was hanging out with former loser extraordinaire, Rachel Berry, what would she say? Would she return to the cruel cheerleader that I knew before, released suddenly like the famed kraken? Maybe she wouldn't say anything, and simply leave without divulging an explanation. Would Santana follow her out, leaving Brittany and myself to fend for ourselves? I couldn't imagine Santana pulling such a stunt on Brittany, but I knew from firsthand experience that Quinn's hold over the Latina was indeed strong.

I knew that everything that I was thinking was wrong, and almost cruel. Quinn had told me repeatedly that she was done running, done lying to me, to herself. I had to trust her on that, as hard as it was proving to be.

I had opened the floodgates to my thoughts and began to draw even more conclusions. Should the aforementioned scenario actually occur, maybe Quinn would react the way I had always hoped she would; defensively. Perhaps she would rebuff their attacks with a few choice words of her own, all in the name of standing behind our friendship.

I knew I was guilty of overthinking; it was both a gift and a curse. To err on the side of caution whenever Quinn was involved—it was second nature. It seemed that both she and I had our work cut out for us in regards to predisposed notions concerning one another.

"Earth to Rachel! I've been talking to you for almost five minutes now about Santana's favorite position, and I know you weren't listening because you just kept saying 'uh huh' instead of that terrified look you always get."

Position? What position? Position on the Cheerios? No. Different position.

"Brittany no! Bad visual!"

I made a move to hit her but she hopped away easily, her dancer's reflexes on display.

"You don't want to injure me, do you? Cause then it'll be just you, Quinn, and Santana tonight."

I groaned at the thought of being alone with the two Cheerios. Santana was likely to make the night unbearable with her whining, while Quinn was liable to kill the Latina for her antics.

"You're right. I do need you. I'm more nervous than I previously anticipated."

Smiling, Brittany bounded back over to me, a knowing expression in her eyes.

"It's okay to be nervous, but you have to remember that this is supposed to be fun. It's going to be a super simple night out with friends, and you'll be okay."

"Okay, I can do this. I can remain calm…for now. I'll save the anxiety for when we're actually out."

Her blue eyes sparkled, clearly finding the humor in my situation, humor that I had yet to find.

"We'll talk about it more when we're getting ready, but now we have to get to class. Try not to worry too much, cause then your schoolwork will suffer. Bye, Rach!"

"_Brittany Pierce!"_

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><p>"Would you stop fidgeting already? You're shaking the whole damn table." The words had apparently fallen on deaf ears, because the table kept on shaking.<p>

"Q, I swear to god I'm gonna break your legs if you don't stop."

"What are you—oh. Sorry."

Santana glanced at her friend, an eyebrow raised in question. "What's your deal? Are you really that nervous about tonight?"

Quinn's only response was a groan as she dropped her head heavily onto the wooden table, eliciting a wince from her friend. Santana rolled her eyes and leaned in close, so as to not gather unwanted attention. Not that the library was exactly jumping with people, but still. You never knew who was lurking around.

"It's dinner, Q. With Britt, who you've known forever, and me, who you've known even longer, and the hobbit, who you've known for like-I don't know. Years, or some shit. And you're going to be in a place that we've probably been to over a hundred times. Calm your tits."

Quinn's head shot up, her eyes narrowed and cheeks tinged pink.

"Don't tell me to calm my—ugh. Can you blame me? This is a big deal."

Santana was not swayed, which was easily conveyed by her bored expression. She leaned back in the cheap wooden chair that screamed 'High School Library' and eyed Quinn warily.

"Okay. Tell me why you're so worked up."

Quinn scoffed. Where to begin?

"I know it's just dinner, but it's my first real outing with Rachel. I want it to be perfect."

Santana tipped her head thoughtfully, "I mean technically it's not the first time that you've been out together."

"Yes, but the night we went out together to find you absolutely does not count. And even though you're trying to play it off, I know you're worried, too."

"I'm not going—"

"All legs of the chair on the ground, Miss Lopez."

Santana glanced around for the voice, but couldn't find the source.

"Old bitch…has eyes everywhere. Anyway, I'm not going to think about it."

Quinn knew it was a poor decision on Santana's part, but it was true that Quinn herself was often guilty of the same tactic.

"You're worried about Brittany's parents seeing you two."

Quinn expected Santana to snap back angrily, but her face remained the same.

"No, not her mom. Just her dad. From what Britt tells me, she's been talking to her mom a lot more, trying to tell her that this isn't a phase, and that I'm not just using her. Her mom is coming around, and has been talking to Mr. Pierce, trying to get him to understand."

Quinn brightened, all of her current issues pushed to the back of her mind.

"Santana, that's fantastic!"

The Latina hummed in response. "It really is."

Though it should have been a momentous occasion, her tone gave no indication of her excitement.

"What am I not getting here? Shouldn't you be over the moon right now?"

Santana smirked at her friend. Leave it to Quinn Fabray to use an expired expression with such ease.

"I'm happy, Q, really I am. It's just a lot to take in right now. My problems aside, let's talk about you and Yentl."

Quinn had welcomed the distraction of talking about Brittany, but Santana had brought them right back to the start.

"Stop worrying. This isn't a date. Even though you two are disgustingly gay for each other—don't make that face, it's true—and you're going out with another couple –hey wait, this does sound like a date."

"Santana!"

"Chill, I'm kidding. We're a group of friends, getting dinner. No problem."

Quinn wanted to believe it was that simple, but it was far from it.

"What if we see someone from school? What if they start asking questions, and start saying insulting things to Rachel?"

Santana could read her friend like a book, but you only had to be an outside observer to see that Quinn was close to losing it.

"Hey hey hey. Relax. If that happens, you'll deal with it. First, you don't owe any of those losers an explanation. Second, I fear for the life of the man or woman who decides to insult Berry in front of us."

Quinn's expression darkened. "If anyone says anything about her, I just…I don't think…"

A sapping noise caught both of their attentions, their eyes moving down to the shattered ruler in Quinn's hands.

"Okaaay. Let's get to class, crazy. You have _got_ to calm down before we go out tonight."

Before they were able to get up and gather their belongings, an irritated voice sounded, causing both cheerleaders to wince.

"I hope you're going to pay for that ruler, Miss Fabray."

* * *

><p>I am fairly certain—nay, I am one hundred percent certain that I didn't learn a single thing in any of my classes today. I nodded when was appropriate, smiled when the teachers thought they were making clever jokes, and was even attentive enough to raise my hand when called upon for attendance. My body was in my chair, but my mind was a million miles away from anything resembling a classroom. The only thing I could focus on was heading to my room and getting ready for my night out with Quinn.<p>

As the final minutes of class began to tick by, my excitement grew to a point that others were beginning to notice. My knee was shaking, and my hand tapped at a continuous tempo on my desk, and my eyes were glued to the clock.

"Miss Berry, is the word problem so riveting that you must express yourself through rhythmic tapping?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and instead sat back in my chair, my gaze on the clock never faltering. I wondered how Quinn was fairing. I bet she was completely relaxed, this excursion barely making a dent in that stoic demeanor of hers. I bet she-

DING DING DING

Yes! Freedom was mine!

I grabbed my backpack and rushed out of the room, ignoring the looks of confusion worn by my teacher and classmates; I had more important matters to tend to. As I waded through the students in the hallways, my grin grew impossibly large. When I finally reached the door to our room, the smile on my face was beyond my own control. When I opened the door, I—

"What are you two doing here?"

Two pairs of eyes fell on me, one brown, and one a beautiful shade of green.

"Well, if you want the truth, Quinn was being her obnoxiously annoying self and wanted to come over early. So early, in fact, that we skipped last period to get here before you." Santana stared pointedly at Quinn, waiting for the blonde to say something in her defense.

"Ugh, like you're any better. I didn't hear you object to leaving."

Santana shrugged and wiggled deeper into Brittany's comforter. "It was either this or glee, so like, duh."

"You two can't be here. You're ruining my plan! I was supposed to come back here, shower, get ready to go out, talk to Brittany, and then you two were going to show up. How did you even get in here, anyway?"

"Yeah, about that. You guys need to start locking your window; who knows what kind of weirdos could show up."

While it was a good suggestion, it still didn't answer my question.

Quinn got up slowly from her seated position on my bed and walked over to me, her eyes uneasy.

"Do you really not want us here? We can leave and come back, or leave and not go out tonight, if that's what you want…is that what you want?" She held her hands in front of her body, kneading them together repeatedly. Why was I so insensitive? That wasn't what I wanted, not at all, quite the opposite, really.

"No, god, Quinn, I didn't mean it like that. I'm so sorry for how that must have sounded to you."

Her shoulders eased immediately, and her eyes fluttered shut.

"I want you here more than you could possibly know, but I also wanted to make myself more presentable for our outing. Your presence is very much wanted, but slightly unexpected, that's all."

Santana chuckled, glaring from under the covers when we both looked at her.

"Go back to being gross with each other, I'm texting my woman."

Quinn shot her a look of exasperation and turned back to me.

"If it's any consolation, you look really great. Er, I mean, you look fine. Not fine as in hot, but fine, and not that you're not hot, but I mean you do look—ugh, the uniform is good." She placed a hand over her face to cover her obvious embarrassment, and I took it gently between my own.

"Thank you. I was worried that this was too simple, but I'm glad I didn't change. You two are in your uniforms, and I'm sure Brittany will remain in hers as well. It works out better this way; much less stress."

"Yeah, I suppose that's true."

We stared at one another, unsure of what to do or say next. For someone who was constantly on my mind, I was sure having a difficult time finding something to say to her. This should have been easy. I should have a million things to say to the beautiful girl before me, but the only thing coming to mind was sure to bore her to sleep.

"Come sit with me. Tell me about your day."

She smiled thankfully, clearly pleased by the suggestion, and allowed me to lead her towards my bed. We sat down next to one another, her eyes falling shyly on mine as I took her hand in my lap.

"Well, let's see. My day started with English, which I really enjoy. We're working on poetry by the confessional writers, and even though the work is sometimes depressing, I'm really enjoying the honesty of it all. Then came math, which I think no sane person can say they actually enjoy. Uhm. There was lunch, and then a project for history that Santana and I were working on in the library. We were supposed to have glee, but obviously that didn't happen."

Before I could remark that I really liked listening to Quinn speak about something that could otherwise be construed as boring, Santana peeked from under Brittany's covers, a glint in her eye.

"Q broke a ruler in half today. It was pretty epic. Stupid, but epic."

Quinn turned to her friend with a hiss, her jaw clenched together tightly.

"Quinn! Is that true? Let me see your hands."

Rachel, it's fine, really, I—

"Quinn. Fabray. Hands. Now, please."

She handed them to me, a retort on her tongue, but thinking better of it the moment our eyes met. I took both of her hands between my own, checking the tops and bottoms to make sure she was unscathed. I lightly moved my fingertips over her knuckles and over her palms, feeling a small spike of pride when I heard her inhale sharply. Before letting go, I squeezed them both gently, trying to imprint the memory of the way they felt between my own.

"Why would you do that? You could have gotten hurt. Suppose a piece got lodged into your hand, or worse, hit you in the eye?"

"Yeah, you tell her, Berry! She could have taken out one of my eyes, too."

I turned from Quinn's puppy dog pout and glared hard at Santana.

"And you. Were you the cause of this? Also, I'm going to speak with Brittany about your habit of outing information belonging to others whenever you feel like it."

Santana's eyes widened and her mouth snapped shut. Without saying another word, she threw the comforter back over her head in an attempt to…hide?

A moment later, Santana's voice was heard, coming out in whispered pants.

"Britt, you gotta come back now. The hobbit is being extra mean, and I don't know how much longer I can stay under the covers to avoid the level ten glare she was sending me. No, baby, of _course_ I don't deserve it, she just came in and started yelling at me and Q. Well, Q deserved it, 'cause she snapped a ruler in half and almost took out my eye—what was that, B? _No, I wasn't the cause of it! _Ugh. Okay. Love you, too."

Santana still refused to emerge, but I knew that she could sense my smile of victory.

"Rach?"

Quinn's voice was soft, but it still managed to startle me out of my reverie.

"Tell me about your day. Also, Santana said I should ask you about the song you sang in glee club."

I was going to kill her. I hoped that Brittany was okay with being single, because I was going to strangle the life out her big mouthed girlfriend.

"You really need to—"

When our door opened and Brittany burst through, Santana threw the covers off of her and ran to meet the out of breath blonde in a bone crushing hug.

"BrittBritt. I missed you so much."

Brittany hugged back with just as much fervor.

"I missed you too, San. Sorry I'm so late, I had to go over an assignment with the teacher. Oh hey Q. What are you guys doing here so soon?

"Quinn couldn't wait to the see the hobbit—" Quinn began to protest but stopped when Santana interrupted—"and I couldn't wait to see you. It's a win win."

Brittany placed her forehead against Santana's, a soft expression in her eyes. "Always so sweet, you are."

"Only for you, Britt. So! Are you losers ready to go? Breadstix waits for no man!"

With that said, Santana raced towards the window, opened it, and waited for Brittany to come over.

"You and Q go ahead, San. I wanna talk to Rach real quick."

Santana rolled her eyes but obliged. "Fine, whatever. I'm not helping your fat ass down, Fabray."

Quinn got up and followed Santana, rubbing the back of her neck in an attempt to ease away stress.

"Good, because if you let me anywhere near you right now, you might accidentally take a tumble."

"Ugh, as if. Let's go, Fabgay."

When the two cheerleaders were gone, Brittany turned to me and smiled.

"Doing okay so far? I'm sure them showing up early didn't help to get rid of any of that nervousness."

I would have thought that initially, too, but after the fact, it seemed to calm me down more than anything.

"I'm doing well, thank you for asking. Not nearly on edge as before, but then again, we haven't left yet."

She giggled lightly and placed her hands on my shoulders, leaning down to meet my eyes.

"Repeat after me: everything is going to be great. Dinner is going to be yummy, and this is going to be an awesome time."

"Everything is going to be great, and Santana is in the window, staring at us."

"Wait, Rach, I didn't say—"

I pointed towards the window to clarify, and Brittany gasped when she saw just the top half of Santana's head peeking through.

"Guys. I don't think you understand just how hungry I am, and just how badly I want to stop being alone with Quinn. Please come down now. My stomach thanks you. That is all."

And then she was gone. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

"Well, that's our queue to leave. Queue. Like Q, but not Q. Get it?" She chuckled at her own joke before disappearing through the window, down into the waiting arms of her antsy girlfriend. I popped my head through the window to see them walking away, their pinkies linked with one another. If only I were taller, if only the window wasn't so high, if only—

"Get down here, nerd. Stop spacing out."

Quinn appeared seemingly out of thin air, her arms raised up towards me.

"I'll help you down, but I swear to god if I hear one comment about your skirt from Santana, I'm leaving and never coming back."

I winked suggestively and situated myself on the window's edge.

"So you're thinking about my skirt, huh?"

"Nope! I'm done. Goodbye, Rachel, it was nice knowing you."

I giggled into my hand as she began to walk away, her hands pressed firmly into her hips, her steps largely exaggerated.

"Fine, I guess I'll just have to jump and see if I make it."

Her head whipped around quickly as she jogged back to the window.

"Okay, so, just jump…"

"And you'll catch me?"

I could have sworn that she whispered 'always,' but it was probably just wishful thinking on my part. I slipped from the window easily enough into her waiting arms, the force of my body hitting her own nearly knocking us off balance.

Her arms wrapped around my waist as our eyes remained glued together, my hands finding their way towards her hips.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes. Right now I'm perfect."

"As much as it pains me to say this, we have to get going. You know how Santana is, just as her normal, pleasant self? Well, it gets worse when she's hungry, and I'd rather not subject you to that."

Yes, that was something I could most certainly do without.

Quinn held out her arm, waiting for me to take it, which I did without hesitation, and we made our way to the car. Santana and Brittany had already taken the back seat, somehow with only one seatbelt between them.

Quinn walked to the passenger side and opened the door for me, to which I murmured my thanks, and then jogged around to the driver's side.

"San, how come you don't open doors for me like that anymore?"

Santana looked aghast. "Britt what are you talking about, I so do!"

Brittany huffed. "Yeah, but you don't do it like Quinnie does."

Santana whined and scooted closer to Brittany, glaring at Quinn in the rear view mirror.

"It's only cause of Quinn's huge ladyboner for the hob—"

Quinn gassed the car harder than necessary, the force of it knocking the words out of Santana's mouth. "Sorry about that, complete accident."

"Yeah, I'll bet, blondie. It'll be a complete accident when my foot finds your ass, too."

I glanced between Santana and Quinn, feeling an argument starting to boil. This was one fight that I didn't want to be a part of, and figured that turning the radio up would help to drown them out and perhaps quiet them down. I couldn't have been more wrong.

'_I knew I loved you before I met you, I think I dreamed you into life…'_

I tried to be quick when turning the dial to another station, but I failed miserably and only turned the accursed song louder, which simply gave Santana more ammunition to laugh harder.

"It's like, fate is fucking with you, midge. It's great."

Quinn turned the dial to a more appropriate volume level and glanced at me while trying to follow the road. I, for one, was staring out at the passing scenery, refusing to look in any direction but out.

"I love this song. Do you not like it, is that why she's laughing? I can turn it to something else."

Santana chortled, clapping her friend on the shoulder. "Oh Quinn, you beautifully confused sunfish. One day you'll know."

I lit up when the familiar Breadstix building appeared. I personally didn't eat here often, as their vegan selection was rather poor, but I was thankful for the distraction from the conversation that was about to occur in Quinn's car.

Quinn parked and turned the car off, both of us turning to one another, each nervous for reasons of her own. But we were going to do this. Regardless of what may happen when those doors opened and closed behind us, this was something that we were doing.

Quinn closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat, her chest rising and falling steadily. I watched on in wonder, curious about the thoughts swimming through her head. Did they mirror mine, her cool exterior of calm merely a façade? I studied her profile carefully, but her expression gave me no answers.

When Santana and Brittany exited the car with pinkies linked, slamming the door as they left, it was enough to snap Quinn out of her trance. It was when I moved to open the passenger side door that she began to speak, her eyes widening almost comically.

"What are you doing? Don't move."

I paused and watched her rush out of the car, my hand still clasped around the door handle. I stared at her from the inside, watching as she composed herself outside of my still closed door. When I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion, she opened the door slowly, waiting for me to step out.

"I know this isn't a date, but I wanted to do that for you. Just let me have that one thing."

I nodded and smiled when a look of relief passed over her face.

"Are you ready?"

Was I? Absolutely not, but I didn't want her to know that, so I did what came naturally; I put on my best show face and nodded confidently.

'Well. Here goes everything...'

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and once again, I apologize for the late update! <strong>


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I hope everyone is doing well! Thank you to the people who continue to read this story, you're all fantastic, and thank you to the new people who have stumbled into my work: you're all amazing. Without further ado, here's the next chapter!**

* * *

><p>The first thing I was assaulted by upon entering the building was the overwhelming smell of bread baking. The second was a large feeling of relief, one that washed over my entire body the instant I saw that most of the booths within Breadstix remained unused. It seemed as though we nearly had the entire place to ourselves, save for an elderly couple sitting together in a far off corner. They remained immersed in their conversation, not even turning to glance as the door closed somewhat loudly behind us. This was it, the ideal setting for our outing; few patrons, and most assuredly no one that I knew personally. Quinn seemed slightly more at ease than she was in the car, but that was understandable; Breadstix was familiar territory for her, a place that she knew well. Though she appeared more at ease in her stature, I didn't fail to notice the way her eyes glanced hurriedly amongst the entirely of the restaurant the moment we entered, scanning each row from top to bottom. Brittany was already making her way to a booth in the back, while Santana stood with hands on hips and eyes closed, taking in exaggerated breaths.<p>

"Breathe it in, Berry. Do you smell that? It smells like I'm about to put this place out of business. Let's go."

I grabbed her arm lightly before she had a chance to take another step, looking between Santana and Quinn. "Hold on, aren't we supposed to wait to be seated?" I pointed to the large metal sign that proclaimed precisely that.

"Ugh, as if. We practically own this place. We sit where we want, when we want."

That didn't surprise me in the slightest. These three young women had within them an air of authority that couldn't be reckoned with. Santana gently took my hand off of her arm and continued forward to follow Brittany who, to my incredible surprise, had chosen to sit in the booth across from the elderly couple. Quinn smiled at my obvious surprise, and motioned for me to follow.

"It's fine. You'll see."

I suppose I had to trust her on that, because she was already walking away. As I neared where Brittany and Santana were currently seated, I caught a bit of the conversation that was currently occurring.

"Oh Brittany, how is that lovely cat of yours?"

Brittany leaned out of her seat, nearly placing herself in the middle of the walkway between our two tables, attempting to speak to the older woman. I watched on with rapt attention as Brittany's eyes shone with excitement, matched clearly by the woman to whom she was speaking.

"He's so good, Myrtle! He was asking about you, and I told him that I'd tell you hi for him the next time we went to Breadstix. So, hi!"

The old woman—Myrtle, apparently—gave no indication of confusion when Brittany revealed this odd detail about her cat. She looked intrigued and pleased all at once.

Also, to my ever-growing surprise, Santana was engaged in conversation with the gentleman seated opposite of Brittany's conversation partner.

"Yeah, it was almost perfect. You should have seen it, John. I'm down to five minutes now."

John chuckled deeply, his glasses tipping dangerously towards the end of his nose.

"Santana, if anyone can beat Masterkova's mile record, it's going to be you."

Santana sat back in her seat, a smile on her face and a small coloring in her cheeks. Had his praise embarrassed her?

When Quinn and I approached, their attention fell immediately upon us. Myrtle stood up and pulled Quinn in for a hug, one which Quinn returned eagerly.

"Hello Myrtle, it's great to see you. John, how have you been?"

Myrtle smiled at Quinn and sat down, while John nodded his response. At first I had the luck of being small enough to not attract attention, but the moment that Quinn moved, their eyes fell on me instantly.

"And who is this lovely young lady?"

I stepped forward and curtsied, remembering my manners. "My name is Rachel Berry, and I'm very pleased to meet you sir, ma'am."

The couple turned to one another, mischief flashing in their eyes.

"Rachel? That sounds familiar. Is this the same Rachel that Quinn was going on about?"

Quinn's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, sputtering a response of nonsensical words. Santana let out a loud guffaw and clapped her friend on the back, relishing the blonde's mortification.

"Yup! Same person. Isn't it great the way things work out?"

I glanced between everyone, the confusion etched onto my face. This entire situation was strange, and apparently this couple knew who I was because Quinn had mentioned my name.

"My confusion aside, it's nice to make your respective acquaintances." Everyone but Quinn laughed in response. She had her head buried in her hands, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

"Oh my, so polite! You better keep this one, Quinn." The girl in question merely groaned in response.

John and Myrtle got up from the table and put on their jackets, preparing to take their leave.

"Brittany, please tell Lord Tubbington hello from me, and to expect a pie in the mail." Brittany's hands flew to her cheeks in a childish expression of glee.

"I definitely will! He's gonna love it so much that I bet he won't even share with me." When Brittany began to pout, Myrtle patted her head softly.

"You know I'll be sending one for each of you." And with that, Brittany was back to smiling brightly.

John places a well-worn brown hat on his head and turned to Santana, smiling good naturedly.

"The next time we speak, I expect to hear that time of yours lowered."

Santana sat up, her posture straight as an arrow.

"Yes sir, it will be."

The couple nodded their goodbyes to Quinn who gave a small wave in their direction, her other hand still covering her face. I almost expected them to walk straight past me, but it didn't happen. John gave me a small wink and kept walking, and Myrtle sidled up to me, motioning for me to lean closer. I did so without hesitation because though I knew nothing about this woman aside from her name, I felt extremely comfortable in her presence; she felt like a grandmother, through and through.

"That one over there," she pointed discreetly in Quinn's direction—"she's stubborn, unbelievably stubborn, but loyal. It's going to be tough, but promise me you'll try your hardest to stick it out."

Yes, Quinn was stubborn, I knew that better than anyone, but why was she telling me this? Was she referring to our friendship when she said to 'stick it out'? I had every intention of doing precisely that, so there was no reason for her to worry. I nodded in affirmation.

"Yes, of course. I'm not going anywhere."

Her eyes sparkled in a way that made me think that there was something she wasn't telling me, and goodness knows I had a million questions for her, but she did not divulge any more information; she merely smiled and continued on to meet with John.

When they were both gone, I sat down beside Quinn, eagerly awaiting an explanation. Quinn was the first to speak.

"So, yeah. Are you ready to eat?" If this was her idea of a joke, I wasn't buying it.

"You're not serious, right? I feel as though I've entered the twilight zone or something."

It was Brittany who decided to explain what had just occurred.

"They're John and Myrtle. We met them a long time ago when we were really little. They're kind of our grandparents."

"They've always been around, and we sometimes go to them when we need advice. They don't judge us," Santana elaborated. From Santana's tone, I guessed that she meant mainly that they didn't judge their relationship.

I turned to Quinn. "And you spoke to them about me?"

Quinn spoke hesitatingly, choosing her words carefully. "I may have mentioned your name to them."

I stared at her hard, hoping my gaze was enough to make her uncomfortable enough to relent. She began to fidget in her seat, and I knew it was working. When she opened her mouth to speak, another voice interrupted, and I felt a low growl form in the back of my throat.

"Hello ladies, my name is Chloe, welcome to Breadstix. First time here?"

I swear I could feel the waitress physically shrink back in terror when all three cheerleaders' eyes fell on her.

"No, but it's going to be your last day here if you ever ask us that again."

The girl, who appeared to be a few years older than us, backed up a bit and eyed Santana like a deer caught in headlights. It was probably her first day, and this experience was not what she expected at the start.

For a few beats, no one spoke, and I felt myself suffocating under the tension that had built. Santana eyed the girl warily, and I knew she was going to attack again. Before she could utter a retort that probably would have sent the girl crying in the other direction, I kicked her shin, eliciting a grunt out of the irritated girl. She glared at me briefly before turning back to Chloe.

"No, it isn't our first time here. We know the drill. I'll have a Coke, she"—she motioned to Brittany—"will have an Arnold Palmer."

The waitress wrote hurriedly on her notepad and turned to Quinn.

"Just water."

Chloe sighed softly, probably thankful that nothing complicated had been ordered. She smiled happily at me and I returned the greeting, hoping to put her somewhat at ease. As soon as I had done so, I heard Quinn's breath catch, and I mentally cringed. The last thing I wanted was Quinn's jealousy unleashed on this poor unsuspecting waitress.

"I'll have a water please, no ice."

She put her notepad away and pulled out four menus, placing them down in front of me. I'm assuming she thought this to be the best decision because Santana still looked like she had something to say, Quinn was glaring daggers, and Brittany was preoccupied with staring at the birds outside.

"Okay, here are the menus, I'll be right back with your—"

"We need a vegan menu before we get our drinks."

My head whipped in Quinn's direction, my shock evident. I wasn't going to inconvenience them by asking for a menu that specific—truthfully, I didn't even know that such a thing existed here. I planned on ordering a simple salad, as that seemed to be the most vegan friendly meal I could usually find in a restaurant like this. But Quinn remembered, Quinn cared, and that alone was enough to cause a flutter in my chest.

"Right, okay, one vegan menu coming up."

"Before the drinks."

Chloe nodded. "Yes, before the drinks."

Quinn sighed deeply. "So, now."

Chloe rushed away without saying a word, the tension alleviating immediately.

"They need to hire some better help in this piece."

A part of me wanted to scold them for being rude, but I was still stuck on Quinn remembering a detail that most people forgot. That simple action alone spoke volumes, but I thought it best to keep it to myself. While I was busy musing, Chloe had rushed over with menus in hand, and gave them to Quinn. Before Quinn could correct the mistake, the waitress was gone once more, presumably to get our drinks.

Quinn put the menu down in front of me, a slight frown on her face. "I'm not sure how many options they offer, but I didn't want you to be stuck with some boring salad."

"Thank you, Quinn. I appreciate the gesture very much."

I began to peruse the menu, assuming that they'd be doing the same, but they were all watching me intently.

"Aren't you going to even open your menus?"

"Berry, we come here all the time. I know the menu front to back. Come on, test me!"

I rolled my eyes and kept reading, ignoring the fact that they were all staring at me. I peered over my menu, frowning over the fact that their eyes still hadn't moved nearly five minutes later.

"May I help you?"

"Just curious about what you're going to order. What do you eat, like twigs and shit?"

Like most things out of Santana's mouth, I had no idea if she was being serious or not. The glint in her eyes gave away the truth.

"I'll have you know that the meals I eat are just as real and as filling as anything you'd eat."

I continued flipping through the menu, surprised at the selection they offered. Everything looked amazing, but Chloe was on her way over, so a decision had to be made. She stopped in front of the table, notepad at the ready, looking down at me first.

"The vegan menu was for you, I'm sorry. How did you find the selection? I know most places are pretty lax in what they have on hand."

I could have ranted to her about that topic for hours, but neither of us had the time.

"It's completely ridiculous! There should be more places willing to implement a menu as extensive as this. Everything looks amazing, and I'm having a difficult time choosing.

She laughed in response. "Oh, I know it. I'm vegan too. I just started here, but I want to try everything they offer here."

"The lemon fettuccine alfredo looks fantastic, I think I'll have that."

She lit up as I handed our menus back to her. "That's the one thing I have tried, and you're absolutely going to love it…"

It took a second for me to catch on. "Rachel. It's nice to meet you."

She nodded in my direction. "Likewise." And then remembered that there were other people at the table, two of which were silently seething.

"And for you ladies?"

Santana looked her up and down before responding.

"Tacos for me, and a shit ton of breadsticks. Funny face pancakes for her, and don't skimp on the whipped cream."

Brittany added as an afterthought, "Make them happy like when Rachel looks at Q, but not how Q looks right now, 'kay?"

"Uh, sure. Right. And for you, miss?"

Michelangelo himself would have marveled at the expression currently etched so finely onto Quinn's face; she was stone cold marble, anger expertly chiseled into her porcelain features.

"A Caesar salad, and for you to keep it in your—"

A loud hacking noise from across the table drew everyone's attention.

"Ahem…hem. Sorry guys, awful cold going around. You may continue." Chloe looked away from Santana, a perplexed expression on her face, and returned to Quinn.

"Just a salad."

Chloe smiled brightly and walked away, seemingly blissfully unaware of the storm that had been brewing, fortunately squelched by Santana's intervention.

"A salad, Q? Really? Where's the bacon extravaganza that you order every single time we come here?"

"I'm just not that hungry, that's all."

Santana was going to relent, but instead smirked and continued to speak. She never was one to let an opportunity go.

"But don't you want to impress Berry by eating an entire pig the way you usually do?"

Quinn slowly began to rise out of her seat. "Santana…"

"Quinn, you didn't have to do that. Please don't feel like you have to change what you eat simply because you think I'll be bothered by it."

Quinn blanched momentarily and then smiled, sitting back down in the booth.

"I really do eat too much bacon. A salad is probably best, anyway."

Santana and Brittany were immersed in their own conversation, so I took the opportunity that presented itself and leaned in closer to Quinn, whispering softly into her ear.

"But I do think that was really sweet of you."

I swear I could feel the heat from the blood rushing to Quinn's face radiate onto my own.

"—but if that happens, Carmilla will-what the hell did we just miss? Why do you look like a tomato, and why do you have that satisfied little smirk on your face? Oh my god, you perverts. What's happening underneath this table?"

"I can assure you that nothing you're thinking right now has transpired, I was simply telling Quinn that—"

Santana leaned in closer, her interest growing with each word.

"Nope. Don't tell her anything. It's going to kill her not to know, and I want to watch her squirm."

Was that mean? Perhaps, but Quinn was right. I could see the frustration building behind the Latina's brown eyes.

"You two suck. Whatever, keep your little queer inside joke, I need to use the restroom. BrittBritt?"

Brittany smiled widely and took Santana's outstretched hand.

"Try to keep it PG-13, ladies."

They skipped away with pinkies linked while Quinn was left fuming over the fact that Santana had gotten the last word in.

"You know, she says that, but I know what those two have done in the bathroom here."

I wasn't surprised by this information, only slightly sick to my stomach.

"Please forewarn me if there is any surface on which I am about to sit that has been tarnished by those two."

Quinn chuckled. "You're better off standing, then."

That made me groan out loud. If ever I were to visit their homes, I would bring sanitizer and do my best not to touch a thing.

A comfortable silence fell over us with me thinking about how lucky I was to be out with these young women, and Quinn…was staring at me, her expression not one easily deciphered. I stared back, studying her green eyes intently, while she appeared to do the same. We studied each other for a few moments longer, until I began to feel bare beneath her intense gaze.

"What?" My voice came out soft, too soft, too akin to a tone that was reserved for intimate moments.

Her half smile made my heart spring to life in my chest, beating furiously against my rib cage. Such a single action should not cause such an intense reaction, but this was Quinn. She had this level of control over my body that no one before her had ever possessed.

She let out a noncommittal hum. "I'm just realizing how little I actually know about you." She was sideways in her seat, repositioning so that she was leaning in closer, her eyes wide and questioning.

"What's your favorite color? Your favorite movie? What was your first word, your greatest fear?"

I turned to mirror her position, placing a hand softly on her shoulder.

"Slow down. We have time. Time to learn all the things, both small and large, that bind people together."

She raised her hand up to meet my arm that was resting on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

I smiled and shook my head, trying to convey that she had nothing to be sorry for.

"And Quinn?"

She turned to me, her hand still resting against my arm.

"Green. My favorite color is green."

* * *

><p>"Where is that little ginger-oh wait, there she is. Yo, red. Over here."<p>

Santana and Brittany stood near the entrance to the kitchen, waiting for the young waitress to walk over. She approached them slowly, her eyes darting between the two.

"How can I help you two?"

"Yeeeah. Two things. One, we're gonna need you to lay off of the hobbit. No discussing how much you have in common, no giggling. Got it?"

"The hobbit? I'm not sure who—"

Santana sighed dramatically. "The vegan one at the table. Pint sized, kind of cute in the right light."

Chloe's eyes raised challengingly. "Why shouldn't I talk to her?"

Santana stepped forward, smirking when Chloe took a step back.

"Because I won't be held responsible for the angry blonde in there should she decide to murder you. Number two: just drop the food and go. Don't come back to ask us how the meal was, or any of that other annoying crap that waitresses do. Agreed?"

Chloe glanced between the two of them, gulping at their hard stares.

"Sure. Yeah, I can do that."

Santana nodded and walked away, while Brittany stayed behind.

She stepped forward, her hand outstretched.

"For your troubles."

Chloe looked down at the $100 monopoly bill, trying to reign in her confusion.

"Uhh…thanks?"

Brittany nodded in a covert manner and then walked off to join her girlfriend, leaving a very perplexed redhead in her wake.

* * *

><p>"Why is brown your favorite color?"<p>

Brown was a unique choice in regards to color choice; there weren't many people who would claim it as their favorite, and I was curious why.

"Well, not just any shade. Not too light, not too dark. A balance of both, I guess. The color of milk chocolate, or warm brownies. It's lame, I know, but lately I'm starting to see the appeal…"

She tapered off, and the same silence fell over us, this time filled with something else entirely. I didn't want the tension to grow into something more, so I spoke first, hoping to alleviate that which was so profoundly palpable around us.

"Favorite movie?"

The shaded look in her eyes disappeared immediately as she was pulled from whatever reverie she was stuck in, and back to reality. Her voice was rusty, a though it hadn't been used in quite some time.

"Uhmm. 'Bring it On.'

My first instinct was to laugh, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings if she was telling the truth, so I quickly stifled my laughter with some water. This went as well as could be expected. I choked and sputtered as the water merged with my laughter, causing a riot in my throat. Quinn moved lightning quick, her brow knotted together with worry.

"Rach, hey, are you okay?—ugh, stupid, you're not supposed to ask that—"

She admonished herself before placing her hand on my back, patting roughly to soothe my coughs. Her hand came down on my back a few more times and my coughs began to taper off. When I was finally able to breathe, I turned to Quinn, hoping that I wasn't as red in the face as I felt.

"Quinn."

She was prone, ready to do whatever I needed, body stiff with anticipation.

"Yeah, Rach?"

I cleared my throat one final time and met her eyes seriously.

"Please, tell me you were joking about the movie."

For a beat, neither one of us moved, but soon succumbed to how ridiculous the situation was, peals of laughter leaving us loudly.

"No, I was kidding; that movie is awful. My favorite is 'Kill Bill.' Don't ask me to choose which volume, because that's impossible."

I stared at her, hoping for more of an explanation than that, but it wasn't happening.

"This is where you tell me that I have amazing taste in movies."

I grinned a bit and went back to my water, hoping that it would end the conversation, but I wasn't quite so lucky. Her mouth dropped in an exaggerated manner, disbelief in her eyes.

"Oh my god. How have you never seen Kill Bill? It is quite possibly the greatest accomplishment of cinematic history like…ever!"

I wanted to respond, really, I did, but she just looked so adorable in her excitement that I couldn't help but stare in wonder. After another minute of relishing her adorable qualities, I snapped out of what I shall now call 'Quinn being cute' trance, only to realize that she was still going on about how amazing it was in every regard.

"…next time we hang out, we're watching them, and you'll see."

I was going to tell her that I was more than willing to watch whatever she wanted, but Santana and Brittany were on their way over to the table.

"Gross. Quinn looks excited. Either you two are up to something that you shouldn't be, or blondie is talking about that terrible movie she loves."

Quinn sank back into her seat, arms crossed and pout on her face.

"No one ever listens."

She sounded so defeated by Santana's words. This movie, whatever it was concerning, was something that clearly made Quinn very happy, and watching her deflate gave me the task of building her back up again.

"I'm sure it's just as amazing as you say it is, Quinn, and I'd be honored to watch it with you."

She perked up instantly, sending a smug look towards Santana, who merely rolled her eyes in response.

"Whatever, Berry. It's your funeral. You're going to regret it when she starts reciting the whole movie. Word. For. Word."

"You know, we were having a nice conversation before you came back."

Santana wasn't fazed; she examined her nails, seemingly without a care in the world.

"Favorite movies, obvs. Berry's is 'Funny Girl,' everyone knows that."

By Quinn's reaction, it was clear that she hadn't. Her cheeks puffed out in irritation, flushing red with anger.

"And how exactly do you know that?"

Santana's eyed flicked back up to stare smugly.

"It was just a guess. Considering how many times she sang that damn song, I wouldn't be surprised."

"Well, you're wrong. It isn't 'Funny Girl.' Nice try, though. I applaud your detective skills, or rather lack thereof."

Okay, so I was lying; my favorite movie absolutely was 'Funny Girl,' but I didn't want Santana holding this over Quinn's head. If I could make her smile with this one minuscule white lie, then so be it.

Santana stated at me challengingly.

"Okay then Berry, what is it?"

I needed to answer quickly or she was bound to know that something was amiss. My internal Rolodex cycled through every movie I had ever seen at light speed.

"But…"

"But what, Berry?"

God, she was like a dog with a bone.

"Predator."

Oh no.

What had I just done?

Santana's face took on a look that was absolutely serpentine in nature. Brittany stared at me disbelievingly, while Quinn looked impressed.

Dad and Daddy had been watching that a few days before I left for Dalton; I hadn't stopped to watch, as horror movies tend to leave me feeling sick, but for whatever reason, this was the first title to tumble out of my mouth.

"Really, now."

I couldn't relent. If I did, I'd never hear the end of it. Be strong, Rachel.

"Yes, absolutely. The story line is fantastic, the makeup artists did an extraordinary job with the monster. It's a classic."

None of them looked convinced, but it didn't matter; the food was on its way, providing a much needed distraction. I could see the curiosity leave Santana's eyes when the mass amount of breadsticks came into view. Brittany eyed me with suspicion and then smiled at her girlfriend's exuberance for food. Quinn's face had gone blank as Chloe put the plates before us.

Gone was the cheery disposition of before.

"Okay. Funny face pancakes, tacos and breadsticks, a salad, and the vegan lemon chicken alfredo."

After she placed our meals down, she turned and left without saying a word, which I found to be quite strange. Normally waitresses maintained the chipper demeanor until the end of the meal, and Chloe herself seemed to be an enthusiastic person. Gone was the demeanor of before, and I wondered idly what had happened between then and now.

Quinn watched her leave and then turned to her salad, a glimmer of disgust flashing across her eyes, leaving just as quickly as it had appeared.

"Quinn, you could have gotten the bacon extravaganza. I wouldn't have minded."

She smiled and shook her head.

"This is perfect. Try yours, though. If it isn't good, tell me so I can say something to the cook."

The serious look in her eyes expressed more than her words ever could; she wanted this to be a positive experience for me, through and through. I picked up the fork and dipped it into the pasta, fighting the urge to crack a smile. Brittany was mimicking the face on her pancakes, Santana had what seemed to be about five breadsticks crammed into her mouth, cheeks expanding as would a hamster's, and Quinn was staring at me like I was a riddle that she couldn't quite solve.

I placed the pasta wrapped fork in my mouth, not a all embarrassed by the moan that escaped not a second after. This place, though renowned for its breadsticks, produced a vegan meal that could have rivaled my daddy's cooking.

"It's wonderful. Thank you, Quinn, for requesting the menu. This definitely counts as one of the best meals I've had, and I have you to thank."

Relief as clear as day flashed across her face.

"I'm glad."

Everyone was silent as they worked on their meals. Occasionally Santana would start hacking and coughing, attempting to swallow more than was humanly possible, and Brittany would start pounding on her back without batting an eye. A moment later it would happen again, Santana ever determined to eat as many breadsticks as possible.

A comfortable silence had descended upon us, one which requires no words, only the mere presence of those around you. In each other's company we were secure, and nothing could hurt us.

At least that was what I had believed.

Quinn put her fork down, quietly excusing herself to use the bathroom. Due to Santana's jeering, I knew that Quinn was trying to run off to secretly pay the bill, and I wasn't allowed to argue with her. Brittany soon exclaimed the same thing, although I doubted it was anything other than the truth.

"San, bathroom?"

Santana paused her eating and got up with Brittany, sending a quick glance over her shoulder at me.

"Try not to get snatched up. You look like a kid, so it could happen. Don't talk to strangers!"

I wanted to yell that she wasn't much taller than myself, but she was already gone, skipping happily away with Brittany. I continued eating while the three cheerleaders were gone, thankful for this moment to myself. But something was off, something wasn't right.

I could smell him before he walked over to our table. An overwhelming wall of cheap cologne assaulted my nostrils, barely masking the smell of stale sweat and takeout food. The familiar heavy footed steps that sounded more animal than man caused me to tense up even before I knew fully what was happening. Everything that was occurring was sickeningly familiar, and my stomach lurched as the recognition slowly began to set it.

I looked up at the figure that was currently blocking out most of the light and swallowed roughly, mentally preparing myself, begging myself to stay calm.

"Hello, David."


End file.
